Eyes Finally Open
by C Meliora
Summary: Edward left Bella in the forest after her 18th birthday, but the events that followed were different. When everyone finally opens their eyes to the truth around them, they see things in a whole new way. Bella must finally decide her own fate instead of bending to the will of everyone else. A Jasper/Bella story. Slightly OOC, AU.
1. Chapter 1

**While the back story will be mostly cannon, there are slight differences which diverge more as it goes on. This will eventually be a Bella and Jasper story. I expect there to be character deaths, violence, the Volturi, human blood drinking, swearing, and mature content.**

**Only saying this once, so pay attention: I do not own twilight. This is fanfiction, meaning the characters and situations are merely borrowed by me (the fan) for my own amusement and not for profit.**

**(Prologue)**

The Cullen family threw a Birthday party for Bella's 18th birthday which resulted in her cutting her finger. Jasper and Edward struggled with their bloodlust, Jasper having to be hauled out of the house by Emmett and Rosalie. Edward flung Bella away from him and into a table full of plates, making the situation even worse. He then fled the room to escape the scent. Even Esme and Alice had to leave the room, leaving Carlisle to tend to her wounds.

Edward made the decision to break up with Bella, fearing that it was too dangerous to allow vampires to be involved in her life any longer. Jasper still hadn't returned to the house, confused and deeply ashamed of his actions, so he was not involved in the conversation that followed. Alice wasn't able to tell what would happen because too many decisions had to be made, so was indecisive. Rosalie had always wanted this outcome so was quick to agree with Edward. Emmett was forced to go along with his mate, even though he hated the thought of leaving Bella behind. Carlisle and Esme agreed to go only because they were under the impression that Edward would be compelled to return for Bella eventually when he had calmed down.

The family believed that Edward would explain the reason for their leaving to Bella and give her letters they had written with their contact information should she need or want to talk to them. Instead, Edward broke her heart and left her with no way to contact her vampire family, burning the letters. She became lost in the woods and was found by a member of the Quileute tribe, Sam, who was also the Alpha of the wolf pack. Bella saw Sam in wolf form that night and made the connection to the legend Jacob had told her when she first moved to Forks.

Because of the almost immediate involvement of the shape shifters, Alice was not able to see very much of Bella in her visions. She never had a vision about Victoria trying to get revenge and Edward stayed with the Cullens instead of going off on his own to attempt to track her himself.

Bella was catatonic for about a week after Sam found her, coming out of it when Renee flew up to try to get her to move to Florida with her and Phil. She snapped out of it and finally started to respond again. She refused to leave, which drove a wedge between her and her mother, whose relationship had already begun to unravel since Bella moved to Forks. Charlie was so worried about leaving Bella home alone while he worked that he insisted she stay at Billy's during the day, often with Jacob spending the night on the Swan's couch keeping Bella under almost constant supervision.

Bella didn't return to school, opting to test out instead and receive her diploma by mail. The school board allowed it due to her high grades in the past. Slowly Bella recovered with the help of Jake who became her best friend. When he began to shift, she was his rock and because of her support he was able to enjoy it instead of resenting it. He realized that the crush he had on her at one point was just a crush. The fact that she wasn't his imprint helped him realize that he couldn't put his best friend through the pain that Sam, Emily, and Leah had to deal with and he accepted it.

**(Bella)**

Being on the rez helped. There were no reminders here, nothing to force me to face the memories. Nothing could make me forget about the hole in my chest though. The hole inside me when _he_ left. When _they_ left. Even Jacob hadn't been able to get me to talk about it. It just hurt too much still. The jagged edges of it still cracked and bled at the slightest provocation. I wondered if I would ever get to a place where I could deal with it. I knew I'd never be healed, but just being able to deal could be enough, I think.

I watched the sun setting into the ocean from my seat on a large drift-wood log. It was my favorite spot to sit with Jake, but he had to patrol with the pack today. There had been some missing hikers reported lately. The pack said they could smell cold ones, and the bodies... well Jake didn't want to tell me much more, but even with his russet complexion he looked a bit green. I decided not to press him for details. I had enough nightmares of my own to deal with.

Without him here with me, I couldn't enjoy the sunset, I was lonely. I hated how dependent I had become on my friend. Why couldn't I be okay on my own anymore? I felt like less than a person since... _Edward_...left me behind, discarded and used up. I cringed, even thinking his name was hard. I had only recently been able to achieve that. Jacob kept telling me I should let the pain out, that it was only festering like a puss-filled boil.

I snorted to myself, he had quite the way with words. I felt guilty about hiding so much from my friends in the pack. I don't know why I didn't tell the pack all I knew about vampires, especially now that there was a vampire or vampires attacking people in the forests far to close to Forks. I suppose, even with all that had happened, even with how wronged I felt, I still had some absurd sense of loyalty to the Cullens.

Part of it was procrastination. Once I told my friends everything, I would have to start facing the future again. These past few months I hadn't thought of what to do next, just existing day to day. After being made aware of the world of vampires, there was no going back. Not just because I didn't see the world through the same eyes, but there was the law to think of. There were serious implications to everyone I loved, but for now, it was safe enough to drift. Or it had been safe, until the world of vampires started to intrude once again on my bubble of denial.

The sun finished its journey into the ocean and I got up, deciding to head back to the Black's house before it got too cold on the beach. I rubbed the crescent shaped scar though the sleeve of my shirt as I walked. The skin was a few degrees colder than the skin on the rest of my arm. I had been careful to keep it covered at all times, I wasn't ready to tell that story and I was sure that if the pack got a look at my scar, they wouldn't let me off the hook until I did. Luckily in Forks the weather made it possible to wear long sleeves nearly year round without getting funny looks.

I let myself in the house, the screen door slamming behind me. The Black's house was small like Charlie's, but it was comfortable. The entry opened into a small dining area that had a square table and chairs in it. The kitchen was open, a peninsula separating it from the rest of the room. There was enough space for Billy to maneuver his chair around, but not a whole lot of extra. The appliances were old, but still worked and that was all that mattered in the end. Billy and Jake were quintessential bachelors, and never much for living fancy besides.

The living room held Billy's newest baby, a brand new flat screen TV that everyone pitched in on and got him for Christmas. I think Santa Claus became real again in his eyes when he opened that present. Charlie had been spending a lot more time at Billy's since then to watch sports with his friend. The two men had been friends forever, since before I had been born, but over the last few months had gotten even closer.

There were only two bedrooms, the family had to move to a smaller home after Billy's accident because of medical bills. Billy's room had its own bathroom, which was specially modified for the disabled. The main bathroom off the kitchen which was for company and Jake wasn't fitted for Billy and they couldn't afford to fix up both. The other bedroom was Jake's. Back when his sisters were still living at home, Jake used to sleep on a pull out couch in the living room and had to keep his stuff in boxes. His bedroom walls were still a pinkish peach color, but he was just happy to have privacy finally, not bothered about the decor.

"That you Bella?" called Billy from the living room.

"Yep, just me." I answered back.

"Good, what's for dinner?" he asked, rolling himself into the kitchen with a small smile.

I laughed, picking up a dish towel and smacking him with it. I think part of the reason Billy was so glad to have me around was the food. It had been a long time since the kitchen in the Black household had been used for anything more substantial than TV dinners.

I didn't mind cooking, it kept my mind occupied. Usually I'd make dinner here for the guys, then take home some for Charlie and I to eat when he picked me up at the end of his shift. My truck had finally kicked the bucket and I just didn't care enough anymore about my image to be embarrassed about riding in the cruiser. After all, I was the girl that lost it over a break-up. Doesn't get much more pathetic than that.

Who knew that all it would take to cure me of my blushing was to have my heart ripped out of my chest by my vampire boyfriend? I still did blush on occasion, but it took a lot to force the reaction from me now.

I made a deal when Charlie first started leaving me here during the day with Jacob. The leftovers were his to polish off as long as the dishes were done by the time I came back. He agreed to it quickly after tasting my cooking. The wolves ate like they were starving due to their higher metabolism. It was a wolf thing.

"Don't know yet. How about lasagna?" I asked.

"Garlic bread?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course! How else are we going to keep the vampires away?" I quipped back.

Billy scowled at me. "I wish you wouldn't joke about the cold ones, they are evil."

I pulled a large dish from the cupboard and set it on the counter. I kept my eyes down, feeling his gaze on me as I tapped my fingers along the edges of the pan.

"I know more about them than you think Billy," I said slowly, looking up at his serious face from under my lashes. "I've seen things that make your legends look like sweet dreams, but I've also seen things that were good and selfless." I paused, not sure how to continue. "The world isn't made of black and white, I won't judge _anyone_ or _anything_ based on what they are."

I looked out the window where Jake had just come out of the woods, wearing only cut-offs. He called a goodbye to one of the other wolves, I couldn't tell which because of the darkness.

I felt my eyes misting up, more from frustration than from sadness. Billy never pulled punches when it came to the Cullens. He hated them from the beginning, and unlike his son, he refused to consider that I had loved them.

Billy Black pursed his lips and nodded at me, realizing my words could just as easily apply to his son, a werewolf, as to the Cullens. He considered silently for a moment.

"Sorry, I can see there is much I don't know and you may be wiser than I thought." There was a bit of respect in his tone. "How about we get some pizzas instead and your old man watches the game over here tonight?" he offered.

I coughed a laugh around the lump in my throat.

"Sure, sure." I answered, stealing one of Jake's lines.

"Order some garlic bread too, Bella. For the vampires." he winked at me and rolled back to the living room, leaving me speechless.

Jake walked into the kitchen, looking questioningly at the retreating form of his father.

"Should I even ask?"

"Nope." I replied, stunned by the unexpected peace offering.

He just shook his head.

"So, pizza, huh?" he grinned boyishly. "Hurry up and order chica, I'm starving!"

The night actually turned out quite nice after that. Jacob devoured an entire pizza by himself as well as some garlic bread and a 2-litter of soda. Charlie was impressed, I was slightly nauseated. I had to put my foot down when Jake tried to rub garlic bread on my neck, _just incase_ a vampire tried to bite me.

Charlie just laughed at our antics, not catching the deeper meanings to the jokes. He was just happy to see me horsing around and acting like a normal teen instead of the zombie I had been when Edward first left. I think he was secretly hoping Jake and I would start dating. I tried to dissuade him from the notion several times already, but it had been a fantasy of his since Jake and I had been little.

Dad and Billy ended up over-indulging on Vitamin R, Charlie's brand of beer, and he decided to sleep on the couch instead of driving home. The Chief would never drive intoxicated. It was a Friday night so he didn't have to be up in the morning for work anyhow.

Even though he would have loved to see Jake and I dating, it was pretty funny when I told him I was staying with Jake in his room for the night. Apparently as much as he liked the idea in concept, he was no where near ready for anything close to reality. Or maybe he just wanted to claim Billy as kin and saw no other way besides though Jake.

"You're what?" he asked, his eyes bugging a bit.

"I'll just crash in Jake's room." I repeated, eyeing Charlie carefully, as if he was going to explode at any moment.

"No you aren't. Where is this coming from... I just. No." he sputtered.

I laughed, earning a dirty look.

"Dad. Jake and I are just friends. It's just sleep. Promise." I kissed him on the cheek, something I had been trying to do more often since he'd stuck up for me with Renee.

My mother had pretty much abandoned me when Edward left and I lost it. She acted like I betrayed her by falling in love as a teenager and she seemed almost glad that I was hurt. Charlie got fed up and told her off, saying that his daughter had a lot of heart and there was nothing wrong with that. That he would always be there for me, no matter what, and if she didn't like it, she could just leave. And she _did_ leave.

Not only did she leave, but she blamed Charlie for everything. The worst was when I overheard her telling him that I was just like Charlie and she didn't want anything to do with me anymore. I hadn't received a phone call from her since, although there was an email at Christmas. I suspect that was more accidental, I was just added on to the mass mailing of her yearly Christmas newsletter. I didn't bother to reply.

"Better be." Dad grumped, settling in. He kind of turned to mush whenever I resorted to displays of affection.

"Goodnight." I called, helping Jake with shutting up the house and cleaning up dinner.

Jake had been taking care of his Dad by himself for so long, it was second nature to him now. Having a handicapped father was a lot harder than people realized. I tried to make it easier on them whenever I could, often helping with the cleaning while Jake was at school. I left Jake to it when it came to changing Billy into nightwear and helping him into bed, deciding I needed a shower to get the garlic butter off me before I got pimples.

I went through Jake's drawers, looking for anything that might work. I found an oversized, well oversized to me anyhow, t-shirt that would work and some draw-string shorts that were jammed far back in the bottom drawer of his dresser. I didn't think they would even fit Jake anymore, he must have outgrown them and not gotten rid of them yet.

"Boo!" Jake said, coming up behind me as I was re-stuffing his semi-folded clothes back into the drawer. They had sorta fallen out a bit when I freed the shorts.

I squeaked and fell on my butt, dropping everything I had in my hands.

"Damn it, Jacob!" I huffed.

He laughed at me and shushed me.

"Doing my laundry?" he pointed at the pile of clothes.

"No, I was planing to wash your homemade vampire repellant off before I get zits actually." I rolled my eyes at him. "You know, you are surprisingly hard to steal clothes from." I held the shirt I picked out in front of me, completely hiding behind it. "Going to be like wearing a circus tent."

I peeked around the edge at him.

He laughed at me, helping me up and stuffing the last of the clothes into the drawers.

"Not my fault you're so tiny." he retorted.

I snorted. "Whatever, I'll be back in a few minutes."

I grabbed the clothes and retreated to the bathroom to clean up. To my surprise, there were actually clean towels in there, although the soaps were all very guy smelling. I hurried through my shower and put on the borrowed clothes sans underwear feeling a bit ridiculous as I looked at myself in the mirror. I was missing my toiletry bag from home. I settled for using my fingers to brush the worst of the tangles out of my hair. There were no spare toothbrushes in the cabinets, so I just used the mouthwash and promised myself an extra thorough brushing tomorrow.

I was able to get the shorts tight enough to prevent them from falling down, which was a minor miracle. I was glad about that because I really didn't want to have to put on my already worn underwear. That is just nasty. After towel drying as much water as I could out of my hair, I bundled up my dirty clothes and found a grocery bag in the kitchen to put them in.

I stuck my head in the living room to check on Charlie. He was already asleep, snoring away, so I tip-toed down the hall to Jake's room, knocking lightly to let him know I was coming back in. I poked my head in first, seeing Jake sitting on the bed. I slipped in the room shutting it quietly behind me.

"Charlie's already asleep." I told him.

Jake was in pajama pants, no shirt of course. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Look," I said, putting my hands on my waist, trying to look intimidating. "If this is going to work, _you_ are going to sleep with a shirt on." I tapped my foot.

He smirked at me, raising his eyebrow devilishly.

"And no bragging to your friends that you got to sleep with Bella Swan." I teased.

He laughed, holding up his hands.

"No problem."

He grabbed a shirt, pulling it over his head. "How do I look?" He spun around, flexing his muscles.

"Terrifying." I deadpanned.

He pouted at me, but his goofy act had broken the tension.

It was early March and even with the heat on it was chilly, so I ended up snuggling up to Jake for warmth. His body temp ran a toasty 108 degrees, yet another wolf thing. He didn't seem to mind the closeness, and it didn't feel as awkward as I thought it would. Jake took up most of the room on his bed anyhow, so it kept me from falling off.

It was nice to be held, I hadn't been comforted like this since the Cullens left and it felt so secure. It made it easier to think around the hole inside me. Neither of us spoke, even though we were both awake for a long time, just laying there in the darkened room. My mind kept going over and over the same thoughts, keeping me from slipping into unconsciousness. It was like Jake was holding the hole together for me, allowing me to finally examine the things I hadn't been ready to deal with.

The biggest one was Edward. I realized that underneath the hurt, I was angry. Furious even. How dare he treat me the way he did! It wasn't just the way he left, although that was cruel to the extreme, it was the little things. I thought back, examining our entire relationship. He never listened to me or considered my opinion. Everything was on his terms, his way. He always knew better than I about everything.

I allowed him to treat me as less from the start. I didn't value myself as a person, and now I was left with only pieces of myself remaining. I only had myself to blame. No wonder Rosalie had always hated me, I was a doormat. I didn't even like how I was then. I hadn't liked myself very much my entire life, but I felt like I was finally waking up.

I had learned more about myself in the months since they left than I knew in the seventeen years I had lived before. Jacob helped me find myself. He let me just _be_. While he had a lot of issues with becoming a wolf, he never let me take them on myself. He talked to me about them, but it was always clear that they were _his_ problems and I was not responsible. He was sensitive to my feelings, even refraining from blaming the Cullens when he saw how it hurt me. We cheered each other up when it got to be too much. It was so new to me, having a give-and-take relationship instead of me doing all the giving and getting nothing in return.

Growing up I had been too busy taking care of my mother to take care of myself. I didn't have time to learn how to be a whole person, I had to make sure the bills were paid, that there was food on the table. Renee would spend money as fast as she got it on whatever caught her attention, like a bird flitting from topic to topic. I tried to dissuade her from the more dangerous ideas she landed on, but it was a full time job.

She never once thanked me for anything, instead becoming more dependant on me to keep the house clean and everything in working order. Instead, she would complain and belittle me. I was never good enough or pretty enough. Nothing was quite done to her liking, no matter how hard I tried. Looking back now, I realized that I didn't lack friends because there was something wrong with me, but because I couldn't relate to normal teens. I really was middle aged, thanks to having been a grown up all my life.

I could never understand why Mike, Eric, Tyler, Jacob, and Edward had liked me as a potential girlfriend when I first moved to Forks because I had been told so often that I was worthless. I wore it like a cloak around myself. Edward used to tell me that there were many more, that for him it was torture to hear their thoughts about me. I truly didn't ever see myself clearly.

I decided that even if Edward came back, I wouldn't take him back however. I couldn't do this again. I already lost myself once to him. It was unhealthy from the start. I noticed it seemed to be a theme for the Cullens. None of their relationships were equal. Maybe it was a vampire thing, I pondered. I somehow doubted that, it just seemed _wrong_.

Rosalie always treated Emmett worse than a dog. She slapped him around all the time and no one batted an eyelash. I recalled the hurt that would flash through his expression when she would hit him, not from physical pain so much as from emotional pain. He loves her so much, worships the ground she walks on, but she barely gives him the time of day. She constantly puts him down and makes fun of his intelligence and he puts up with it.

I imagined if the roles were reversed in my head. If Emmett was the one hitting and talking down to Rosalie. It was difficult, Em was such a gentle giant. When I managed it, it was disgusting. I was sure that no one would allow the situation to continue if Rose was the victim. I resolved that if I ever saw my brother bear again, I would help him stand up to his wife. He shouldn't have to feel like that. I wondered if he missed me as much as I missed him. It hurt that he left, he really seemed to care about me, really treated me like his "little sis" more so than Alice who had treated me like her personal Barbie.

Esme acted like a mannequin, catering to everyone's needs but her own. She was trying so hard to be perfect all the time, but no one seemed to appreciate her. All of the Cullen _kids_ were actually 18 or over, excluding Edward, yet it was only Esme doing all the chores in the house. She told me her story before, how she had an abusive husband and had run away with her infant son, only to have her son die soon after. She tried to kill herself, but was turned instead. The Cullen family was a poor replacement for her lost boy. Carlisle expected her to sit at home all day, completing is vision of the perfect family so that he could play doctor, so that is what she did. The woman was trapped, and underneath that perfect exterior I could imagine her screaming inside.

The worst was Alice and Jasper. Alice manipulated everyone using her visions, but poor Jasper wasn't allowed to do anything without her approval, not even dress himself. No one in the family would even let him talk to me, and I really wished I had been able to get to know him. I didn't know much about his past besides that he wasn't always a vegetarian. I didn't blame him at all for his accident at my birthday. When you hang around vampires, then go and bleed all over the place, mistakes happen. I wondered if bloodlust was an emotion that he could _feel_ with his gift.

Of all of the Cullens, I found myself missing Jasper the most, despite the lack of time I got to spend with him. I was too angry at Edward, for the moment at least, to miss him. Jasper was always in the background, a quiet presence. Overlooked, and under appreciated. Even by me. I felt a bit guilty about it, wishing I could fix that mistake. I wanted to know why he always looked like he was in pain. I needed him to know that I didn't hold him responsible for the accident.

My last memory of him was of him diving toward me, restrained by his siblings. His eyes, unlike Edward's, hadn't been completely black. While he pulled against Emmett and Rose, it had been a half-hearted attempt, his eyes were hungry, but full of fear and anguish. I closed my eyes tighter and remembered his voice from when I was on the run from James. "I can feel what you're feeling now - and you _are_ worth it." If only I had heard that sooner, believed that sooner, maybe I wouldn't have lost so much of myself trying to be _enough_ for Edward.

Jacob wrapped his big arm around me tighter, squeezing me against him.

"Stop thinking so hard, I can't sleep." he whispered.

"I can't help it." I whispered back. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm getting some quality thinking done."

"Good, but I'm tired. Sleep now, think later." he said sighing into my hair.

I was quiet for a while, trying _not_ to think. Eventually I slipped into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**(Bella)**

I was so comfortable and warm. Warmer than I could remember being since I moved to Forks to live with Charlie. I snuggled deeper into the bed, stretching out a bit and sighing in my sleep, completely content. I drifted, peaceful.

Suddenly, everything was shaking violently, the whole bed bouncing from the vibrations. Earthquake? The unfamiliar feel of the bedding confused me for a moment before I remembered where I was, in Jake's bed. This wasn't an earthquake... it was a Jake-quake!

Whenever any of the boys from the pack were fighting the urge to phase, they started to shake like they were having a seizure. It was a bit frightening, especially after what happened to Emily, Sam's fiance and imprint. She is a beautiful woman, but marring her face down one side are deep scars, causing one eye and the side of her mouth to appear lopsided.

Sam was the first to shift, he was the only wolf with no one to help him or guide him. He had to figure it all out on his own, going by the old legends and advice from the tribe elders. He lost his temper once and he was standing a little too close. That's all it took for disaster. He didn't mean to hurt her, it's impossible for a wolf to hurt their imprint on purpose. During the shift for a second they have very little control of their movements. It was enough time for the damage to be done. Now he has to live with his mistake every time he looks at his love's face.

Emily doesn't blame him at all for it, but he will never forgive himself.

The rest of the pack is hyper-aware of the risk due to that example. Whenever the warning signs come, the trembling, they make sure to move away as fast as possible until they have it under control. No one wants to hurt someone, or _worse_.

I felt Jake's huge hand close around my wrist, yanking me into a sitting position by my arm. My eyes split open, forcing me fully awake faster than an entire pot of coffee.

"Jake!" I hissed out, trying to tug my arm free. His grip was too tight, almost to the point of bruising. He didn't move an inch from my pulling, I ended up moving myself closer to his face instead which was right up against my arm, examining me closely.

"Bella." he said through his teeth, trying to stay calm, still shaking slightly. "What is this?"

He closed his eyes for a long second before letting me go, forcing himself away. He paced the small room, trying to keep himself together. His posture was stiff, his hands balled into fists. I watched him carefully, not attempting to move any closer to him.

"Shit!" I said, frowning. I realized too late that the t-shirt I borrowed from him didn't cover the vampire bite I had been so far successful at hiding. "It's not what you think?" I said, but it sounded more like a question.

He laughed without any humor in his tone.

"Really Bells? Because it looks like a _bloodsucker_ has been snacking on you. It looks like the treaty has been broken and the next time I phase, the whole pack will know it!" He stopped pacing and glared at me. "Do you understand what that means, if the treaty is broken?"

I shrank back from his angry tone, hugging a pillow to my chest.

"It is definitely _not_ what you think." I told him with much more confidence this time.

He growled at me and resumed his pacing, but the trembling had almost stopped now, which was a good sign. Jacob's room was too small to risk him phasing with me in it. In wolf form, Jacob was nearly six feet tall, roughly the size of a horse, but built out of solid muscle. His body would extend the length of the floor he was currently pacing easily.

I covered the bite with my hand, hiding it from view. I didn't want to look at it. The temporary reprieve from the hole in my chest was over and I felt like I was being sucked under. I squeezed the pillow tighter, trying to hold it together. I was breathing harshly, like every breath was my last, struggling like there was a freight train parked on my chest.

Images whirled through my mind. Alice's confused face as she tried to figure out what a vision of a room of mirrors could mean. James' sadistic glee as he crushed my leg. I felt the bed dip and Jake pulled me into his arms, holding me tight against him.

"Damn it, Bells." he said angrily. "You aren't allowed to fall apart when I'm this mad."

I laughed brokenly.

"Sorry." I mumbled into his chest as he rocked me softly.

Just like last night, it seemed like Jacob held the hole together for me. The pain became manageable and I could breathe again.

"He really did a number on you." Jake said sadly.

"Yeah." I breathed out, whisper quiet.

"I was hoping you'd tell me about it on your time, that you'd trust me enough someday to let me in." Jake sounded hurt. I pulled back and looked into his face. Jake was like the sun, always shining. It was strange to see him so serious. "Bells, I don't think I have a choice anymore. I'm sorry." he stroked my face softly.

I nodded at him. "I _do_ trust you Jake. I was planning to tell you about everything soon. It's just really..." I thought for the right word. Nothing really described the agony I felt. "Painful." I finished lamely.

"How long do we have until you go back on patrol?" I asked, hiding my face in his chest again.

"Not until tonight."

Jake grabbed my arm, prying it away from the pillow I had in a death-grip, and took another look at the scar. This time without the shaking.

"So, if it's not what I think it is, then what is it?" he asked, skepticism in his voice. He traced it with his finger gently. "Cold."

"Charlie here?" I asked, deflecting.

"Nah, him and Dad headed out an hour ago." Jake said absently, still staring at my wrist.

"Wait, so you were just laying in bed with me for an hour, awake?" I asked, indignation in my tone.

Jacob laughed.

"Yep!" he said with a huge grin.

My jaw dropped open in shock. I grabbed the other pillow and beat Jake in the head with it.

"What? You were being all cute!" he laughed, shielding his head with his arms. "Even your Dad thought it was funny."

"Charlie saw us _cuddling_!" I nearly screamed pushing Jake off the bed onto the floor with my feet. He landed with a loud thump, still laughing loudly.

I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. So much for convincing Charlie that Jake and I were just friends. Billy and Charlie were probably off buying wedding invitations. I buried my face in the pillow I had formerly been using as a weapon.

When I looked up, Jake was peering over the edge of the bed at me.

"If it makes you feel any better, he threatened my life before he left." Jake said seriously.

"Not really." I sighed.

Jake hopped up, grabbing some clothes.

"Get your stuff together. Dad left me his truck, we can go by your place so you can get dressed. Emily is making breakfast for the pack." He looked excited at the thought of food so I figured I better hurry.

In ten minutes, Jake was showered and pushing me out the door. The cold air was harsh against my skin. "Jesus, how can you stand running around in shorts all the time. I'm freezing!" I complained.

Jake stuck his tongue out at me. "Heater in the truck, shake a leg girlie! Breakfast is waiting."

Jake drove a bit too fast, I wasn't sure if that was a trait of all supernatural beings or purely a starving werewolf thing. Either way, the greenery zipped by the windows at alarming speed and I was pushed into the house as soon as the door was open.

As soon as I came back downstairs Jake had us back on the road and on the way to Sam and Emily's place. Jake plucked at my sleeve, now fully covering my bite mark. "Listen, about that. I _do_ need to know today. I wasn't kidding about the treaty. If it's broken, Sam could order us to hunt down the Cullens and kill them." he sighed.

"I know." I said, nodding. "Is the whole pack going to be at breakfast?"

"Do they ever miss a meal?" he answered.

"Right, so I'll work something out then. Might as well tell them all since they will take it from your head anyhow." I rolled my eyes.

That aspect of pack life was really inconvenient. The pack had no secrets from each other. While in wolf form, they could hear each other's thoughts. It came in handy for organizing themselves while fighting, but it was really difficult to keep something out of your head, especially if it was something you _didn't_ want to think about. Sort of like having an itch and trying not to scratch it.

Which meant the guys would know about any stray thought Jake may have had while he held me last night. I wasn't completely oblivious, even though Jake and I were just friends, he was still a guy after all. A bit embarrassing, but I was sort of used to it by now. I was just glad we had been so honest with each other, really discussed our feelings.

I had admitted to Jake about flirting with him on purpose to get information about the Cullens, which he found surprisingly funny. I expected him to be angry, but he just laughed at me, telling me I was really good at flirting. He told me he had liked me since we were kids, and I admitted that I did find him attractive, but at the same time knew I could never see him as more than a friend. That was the day he told me about imprinting. I was terrified for a moment that he was about to lay some wolfy claim on me, but he hadn't.

We both agreed that we did love each other, more than friends, but not enough to be each other's forever. We even kissed, just the one time. It was strange to feel warm lips against mine. My first and only kisses had been with Edward and it was drastically different in every way. I couldn't help but to compare the two in my head. With Jake it was pleasant, but there was no supernatural tie between us. After that, we settled into a close friendship, able to joke around without worry, knowing exactly where we stood with each other.

When we walked in, Emily's kitchen was overflowing with food and half-dressed Quileute boys. It was an odd thing to find any of the pack wearing a full set of clothes. Most of them were still tending to phase whenever they got emotional, causing whatever they were wearing to be obliterated. It made sense for them to save money by dressing like they were going for a swim. On the rez, no one even noticed anymore, despite the temperatures outside.

"Oh, look who decided to show!" Embry smirked at Jacob while shoveling eggs into his mouth. "And you brought your girlfriend."

"Don't worry Jake, we saved you some!" called Quil.

Jake punched him in the shoulder and started making himself a plate.

"Hey vampire-girl." Emily greeted me, smiling.

"Hey wolf-girl." I said back.

Emily and I got along really well, in fact she was the only girl I talked to now that the Cullens were gone. When I had first started coming to the reservation after Edward left, there was a bit of tension, especially with some of the tribe elders. We broke the ice by putting it all out in the open and not letting it bother either of us. I think Emily was lonely for a girl to talk to just like I was.

Emily being mate to the Alpha kinda made her something like a Quileute princess. I was automatically tolerated, even if it was grudgingly so by the more anti-vamp members of the tribe just by being her friend.

It didn't hurt to be best friends with Jacob either. Before the wolves started shifting again, Billy Black was pretty much the leader of his people. The tribe didn't have an official chief anymore, but Billy was an elder, and if there was still a chief, he'd be it. When the pack formed, the power shifted to them. Sam was now the head of the tribe as the pack Alpha. Even Billy would listen to him when it came down to it.

The interesting part is that by blood and by rights, it is Jacob that is meant to be Alpha. Billy doesn't understand why his son hasn't taken his rightful place, but Jake just doesn't feel right about it. He told me Sam was there first and does a better job at it than he would. He told me he can feel the urge to fight against Sam's orders sometimes, instinctual, and he hates it.

With the pack mind, Sam knows exactly how Jake feels, so he made Billy back off with pushing Jake and told Jake to let him know when it's time. Sam was good like that. I can see why Jake would be afraid to measure up as a leader. Hard to compete with someone who put the greater good ahead so consistently.

"Better get a plate fast, before the guys eat everything." she smacked Jacob out of the way with a wooden spoon to make room for me.

"Good idea, thanks." I squeezed in, grabbing some food.

Watching the pack eat was an awe-inspiring experience. I wondered how Emily managed to afford to feed them all. I'd have to ask her sometime. I distracted myself for now, munching on a piece of bacon. Few things could put the guys off eating, but I had a feeling I was about to do it.

"So," I began casually, "I sort of need to talk to the whole pack today. Something important about vampires. Probably will take a few hours, so you might want to bring lunch with you. Oh, and we should head into the forest a ways, just incase any of you lose your temper and have to wolf out." I said, maintaining my cool tone throughout. I ate a piece of toast, carefully examining the wall in front of me, not looking at anyone.

The room was too quiet. I slowed my chewing and gulped noisily. Everyone was staring at me like I had grown another head. "What?" I said, eyebrow raised.

Emily was the first to move, the wolves still just staring. She looked around the room.

"I think you broke them." she stage whispered.

I nodded at her.

Jake was the first to recover, but then he had some warning beforehand. He resumed shoveling his breakfast. It was like a signal to the others, who suddenly realized there was still food in front of them.

My mouth dropped open and I exchanged a horrified look with Emily who just shrugged.

"Don't ask me, I stopped trying to figure them out already." she said.

We both laughed.

Sam smiled at us. "Sure Bella, just say when."

He rinsed his plate off, kissing Emily briefly as he walked by her. The boys all thanked Emily for cooking and took care of their dishes. Paul and Jared were on patrol first, and it was decided that Quil and Sam would also do a run a bit farther out so later on they could all come in for our talk without leaving much to chance.

I helped Emily in the kitchen. We made and wrapped a massive pile of sandwiches and loaded them into backpacks along with fruit, bags of chips, drinks, some blankets, and spare clothes.

"Always plan ahead." she said with a laugh as she stuffed the last item in.

"Are you coming with us?" I asked.

"No thanks." she shook her head. "As much fun as sitting in the forest for hours with a bunch of aggravated wolves sounds... I'm going to give it a pass. You're on your own vampire-girl."

"You don't know what you're missing." I taunted. I looked around, making sure the boys weren't nearby. The closest was Jake, and he had retreated to the living room to watch TV as we got the scooby-snacks ready.

I waved her over and put my finger to my lips, indicating to be quiet. She nodded eagerly, excited to be in on the secret before the guys. I pulled my sleeve up and showed her.

She gasped and I put my hand over her mouth. She nodded and I pulled my hand away. Emily grabbed a pad of paper and pen from next to the phone and wrote quickly.

_Jake know?_

I grabbed another pen and answered her.

_Yes. He saw it this morning._

She thought a moment.

_That's why the quick meeting then. Was it the Cullens?_

_No. Well, yes and no, but it's complicated._

"Isn't it always?" she said. "Your name might as well be 'Complicated' Bella."

I laughed and she tore the page off, crumpling it into a ball and pitching it into the trash can.

"Fill me in later for sure. I'm still taking a pass on the whole sitting in the woods for hours thing." she said with a smirk.

"I'm sure Sammie will tell you anyhow." I told her. "I know he can't keep anything from you wolf-girl."

I walked into the living room, plopping next to Jake on the couch.

"You girls done talking about me in there?" he asked smirking.

"Oh please!" I rolled my eyes dramatically, doing my best California girl impression. "As if! Actually, I wanted to ask you if you remembered where that meadow was that I made you find, and then wanted to leave five minutes afterward?"

"Yep, that was a week well spent." he rolled his eyes. "I figured it must have some significance." he hedged.

It was a month ago almost when we finally found the meadow again. It was winter instead of spring, so there were no wildflowers. The perfectly round clearing looked dead and lifeless, much like I felt. There was no magic left behind, no proof of the supernatural lingering. A small part of me expected to find Edward waiting for me there. I was both disappointed and relieved when he wasn't.

I had stood there, staring for a few minutes before I could get it together enough to quietly thank Jake and tell him I wanted to leave. To his credit, he hadn't asked why. He just looked at me with pity and understanding and led me back to where the trail head met the road in silence.

I mentally prepared myself for seeing the dead meadow again. It was nearly spring, but it was still another month before everything sprouted. I took a few deep breaths and nodded once.

"That was when I first wanted to tell you everything Jacob." I squeezed his hand. "But I couldn't yet."

He smiled hugely at me. "Thanks Bells."

I could tell he appreciated the gesture. Even though I was being forced into telling the pack about things, I had always intended to tell my best friend my secrets.

"Right, so there are a pile of backpacks, one human, and a pack of wolves that need to get there without you shifting. Make it happen." I ordered, slapping him on the leg.

Emily drifted into the room, laughing at Jake's dumbfounded expression.

"Don't leave it up to him Bella, guys are horrible at organization."

"Hey!" Jake looked affronted.

"True." I said with a smirk. "Never mind Jake, the brains of this operation will handle it. You just sit there and look pretty." I tweaked his nose and he growled at me playfully.

"Yo! Embry!" I yelled, knowing he would be sticking close to the house since the rest of the guys were running pretty far from home at the moment.

"He is _so_ not the brains of any operation." Jake mumbled, rubbing at his nose. I just laughed and ignored him.

There was a bark from outside and a few minutes latter he trotted in the door.

"Sup?"

"Do you know where the meadow is that Jake helped me find?" I asked him, figuring Jake's thoughts leaked about it.

He shrugged. "Sure. That where you wanna hold your secret meeting?"

"Yep. How long until the pack is done with their patrol?" I asked.

"Just about done, they were just doubling back when I phased to come inside."

"Cool. Can you send Paul and Jared there and tell Quil and Sam to meet us here?"

"Sure, be right back." he said, running back outside to shift so he could send a telepathic message to his pack mates.

By the time Emily and I strapped the bags onto Embry, his wolf face managing to express his annoyance at being treated as a pack-mule clearly, Sam and Quil had arrived.

Sam swept Emily up in a kiss, making sure to kiss her damaged features lovingly before planting an almost indecent kiss on her lips. I looked away, uncomfortable with seeing that level of love. It made the hole in my chest ache to see it. I was happy for them, but the absolute and unbreakable bond that radiated from them reminded me of what I could have had.

Supernatural love was on a whole other plain of existence compared to normal human love. It made me envious. If I had never seen the possibility of it, never imagined it for myself, I probably would have been okay with a normal relationship someday. Now, I felt ruined forever. No human man could ever compare.

"Ready to go?" Jake said, bringing my attention back.

"Yeah." I said, shaking my head as if to dislodge my thought process. "Sam, Quil, would you mind going wolf? Jake and I need a ride."

"Ah man! You have got to be kidding Bells!" Jake complained. "I am not riding wolf back." he said with a scowl.

"Oh yes you are." I clambered up onto Quil, trying to get comfortable without pulling his thick fur. He was making a funny chuffing noise that equated with laughing while in wolf form.

Sam whined and rolled his head.

"I hate you Bells." Jake said and got on Sam, glaring murder at me.

And then, we were flying.

Riding on a wolf was much different than with a vampire. The speed was the same, but the motion was drastically different. And unlike the piggy-back or bridal position a vampire typically used, riding a wolf was more like laying on top of a fur covered spring. The wolves strides were long, leaping through the air, landing, then coiling for another leap. If the ground was free of obstacles, the ride was smoother, but the forest caused them to almost jump around instead of run.

They were surprisingly graceful in their movements, so it wasn't exactly jerky, but every step caused my stomach to go from my throat to my toes and back again. I was glad for the speed, if only because it meant the trip would be over soon. I didn't think I could take much more before my stomach decided to empty itself.

The wolves slowed and I pulled my face out of the warm fur, looking up for the first time since we set off. I could see the light was brighter ahead. We must be close now. In a few short seconds, the three wolves leapt into the clearing. The other two boys were already there, lounging around and talking.

When they saw Jake riding Sam in, they busted out laughing. Jake jumped off before Sam had even stopped moving.

"Not my idea, blame Bells!" Jake defended.

"Why didn't you just wolf out and run?" Paul asked.

"Cause Bella let something slip this morning that she thinks will piss us off and she doesn't want us to know until she can tell us the whole story." Jake said, shooting me a look.

The rest of the wolves looked at me speculatively.

"Oh, I know you boys can't handle it." I said, trying to act braver than I felt. "Luckily, I'm smarter than all of you combined, so you'll just have to trust me."

Sam laughed from in the trees where he was getting dressed. "Sure, sure!" he called.

"What is it with women thinking they know everything today?" Jake said. "First Emily, now Bells. I feel so picked on."

"Just today?" Jared said.

The guys were all laughing now, even though they were still tense.

It took just a few minutes to get Embry unloaded and a picnic setup. I leaned against Jake for warmth as I settled in, mentally giving myself a pep-talk. Once the guys found spots, all of them giving me a bit of space _just incase_ as Sam warned, I couldn't delay any longer.

The sun broke through the ever-present clouds of Forks like a sign from the heavens, Jake's hold kept the hole from ripping open, and I started from the beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

**(Bella)**

"Sam, I think this will be easier if I just direct everything to you since you're the Alpha. Everyone else, just hold your questions, okay?" I looked around at the rest of the pack. "This is going to be hard to get out."

The guys all nodded to me and Jake wrapped an arm around me.

"Sounds like a good idea." Sam agreed. "And if anyone needs to take off, do it. I'm sure Bella didn't drag us all the way out here for nothing. Especially you Jacob. Keep your head together." his voice rippled with command. He was obviously concerned for me with my friend being so close.

"Okay then. First thing, I need you to tell me what are the _exact_ terms of the treaty with the Cullens?"

Sam hesitated, then spoke in a regal tone, reminding me so much of Billy when he spoke the old legends at tribal bonfires. I had only recently been allowed to attend them. When I first realized the truth about the Quileutes, after Sam had found me in the woods, I confronted Sam about it. He at first denied everything, claiming I had been delirious and only imagined what I saw.

"The treaty was signed in 1936 between the Quileutes and the Cullen Coven. Ephraim Black, the Alpha, and the two other wolves of the pack. Levi Uley and Quil Ateara the 2nd. The vampires Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, and the two women Esme and Rosalie.

"This group of cold ones claimed to be something different. They acted almost like men instead of monsters, so the wolves hesitated and allowed them to speak. Their eyes were different from our legends and they insisted they didn't feed from humans, so a pact was made.

"We agreed not to kill them or reveal their presence or knowledge of their kind to the humans as long as they wouldn't bite, drink from, hunt, or turn any humans. In addition, we would stay off their lands. They would stay off our lands including the reservation and La Push, the surrounding forests, and even the lands traditionally possessed by the Hoh and Makah tribes. Forks and the nearby towns are all considered neutral territory where either party may go without permission.

"Our kind have killed vampires before, so they were wise to fear us. If they break the treaty, we will not hesitate to destroy them. However, they are a larger group than we have ever faced and a conflict would not be without losses. It is best for both parties that the peace remains."

The silence was thick as I stared back at Sam. I noticed there was no mention of Jasper and Alice.

"Jasper and Alice?"

"They were not original members and are not included in the treaty. When I begin shifting, I met with Carlisle and Edward Cullen and they told me they were not turned, but had joined them and were keeping to the animal diet. I didn't believe them, but I was the only wolf and there wasn't much I could do about it. They were never officially added to the treaty, even though they did appear to keep to the Cullen ways."

"Carlisle told the truth," I reassured him. "Alice and Jasper were sired by others and found their way to the family on their own. However, the treaty was broken." I paused, allowing the words to sink in. "By Jacob Black, when he told me of the cold ones, and again when he told me that the Cullens were vampires."

Sam interrupted. "Bella, he hadn't phased yet."

Several of the pack members were growling softly, including Jacob right in my ear.

"A technicality Sam." I brushed off their reaction.

"I thought we were here to talk about the vampires, not to be put on trial." he said, his voice tense.

"I'm getting to that." I said. "But I wanted to get that out of the way first. Just keep in mind that the treaty has been violated already. However unintentionally, and it was done by the pack first."

He nodded and motioned with his hand for me to continue.

"Then with that in mind, here is my full story. All of it, all I know. Hopefully this helps you stop the vampire that has been killing people around Forks." I paused. "Just... don't judge me until you hear it all." I looked down at my hands. "I'm not proud of it all, but I learned a lot from my experiences. When I'm done telling you about my past, there is one more thing I'll need to tell you."

"That's fair Bells, we'll listen." Sam said encouragingly.

I told the pack about everything as best as I could remember, both the good and the bad. Everything from the first time I saw the Cullens in the cafeteria. I made sure to explain as much as I knew about vampires, gifts, singers, and all I could recall about their history and how they struggled to overcome their situations.

I explained how I got a bit lost in their world, but also how I wasn't unhappy exactly that it happened. How looking back on it now, it almost seemed like it _needed_ to happen, so that I could get to where I was now.

Finally, I got to the day I was invited to play baseball with their family.

"Three nomadic vampires heard the sound of the game and came to investigate. James, Victoria, and Laurent." I said.

When I described them, I saw a look pass around the pack members. They recognized Victoria's description.

"Bella," Sam said, "I know we agreed to hold questions until later, but the female vampire, Victoria. We have chased her off recently. What do you know about her?"

I nodded slowly, making a connection. The missing hikers. "Sam, just wait, I'll probably answer your questions by the end of it. Just tell me everything you know after I finish. I promise I'll do the same."

"Deal." he agreed.

I continued where I left off. The flight to Phoenix with Alice and Jasper. The ballet studio. James lying about having my mother. Sneaking away and meeting him alone.

"God Bella, you are such an idiot!" Jacob hissed out, right next to my ear.

I laughed jerkily.

"Yep, I guess I am."

I untangled myself from Jacob's grip and nudged him. "Better back off for this next part Jake." I warned him.

He reluctantly moved off a bit, but still kept himself between me and his pack mates.

"When I got to the ballet studio, I found out that James had used old home movies with my Mom's voice on them to trick me into thinking she was there. He taunted me, played with me, and threatened me. Then he broke my leg. He smacked me around a bit as well. The Cullens were on the way to save me, but they were to late to stop him from hurting me. From biting me."

I pulled up my sleeve, the sun shining onto the scar, making it shimmer slightly.

The pack gasped as one and stopped breathing. Then, all hell broke loose. Paul lost it completely and phased on the spot, fragments of clothes flying everywhere. The rest of them shaking like mad. Curses were flying and Jacob dived on top of me, shielding me with his body. He was barely trembling, but then, he had gotten a good look at my scar this morning.

Sam phased to go after Paul who was still in wolf form, pacing around and snarling, drool dripping from his jowls as he snarled and growled. They both ran off into the trees and the rest of the guys backed off a bit at Jacob's suggestion.

"Jake, you're kind of crushing me." I said from under my friend. I felt like a pancake.

"Sorry." he said, but didn't move.

"Umm... still crushing me Jake."

"Right. Yeah." he pushed off me and I peeled myself off the blanket and looked around.

"Extra clothes are in one of the bags." I mumbled. "For Sam. Maybe it's best if Paul stays wolf until I'm done. It gets worse."

"Fuck." Jake said, dragging his hand through his hair. "Worse than that?"

He grabbed the clothes and ran them out to Sam. A few minutes later, one wolf and one re-dressed Quileute trotted back.

"Bad doggy!" I stuck my tongue out at Paul.

He whined at me.

"Sit!" I commanded, laughing when he did. "Good boy!"

The guys laughed. The wolves were massive, more like bears or horses in size, it was crazy watching him behave like a pet.

"Anyhow..." I got up, sleeve still pulled up to my elbow, going around to the guys. "I'm guessing you want a better look. Jake sure did when he found it this morning." I shot him a look over my shoulder. He looked a bit sheepish.

"Yeah, I didn't know it was possible to survive a vampire bite. Well, as a human anyhow." Sam said.

"It isn't. Usually. Well, there is more to it, but I'll tell you later." I told him. I let the guys all poke and prod my arm for a few minutes. They all commented on its temperature.

"It doesn't smell any different." Jacob supplied from where he was seated on the blanket. Apparently he got his fill of poking it this morning.

"What the fuck Jake? You _sniffed_ it?" I shouted at him.

"Of course I did!" he said with a smirk. "Hell, if I wasn't all shaky at the time, I'd have licked it too to see if it tasted different. But then, I'd have had to taste both your arms, for comparison." he wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively.

I blushed head to toe, stomping off to sit far away from all of them, especially Jacob, pulling my sleeve back down.

"Perv." I mumbled.

They all laughed, making me turn as red as a tomato.

"I believe I was at the part where James bit me." I started up, cutting off their laughter. "And this time, no phasing." I met each of their eyes, which had sobered up quickly.

"First, a few things. Remember that at the time, I had limited knowledge of the details of the treaty myself. I was in love with Edward, and he said he was in love with me. I wanted to be like him." I saw them tense at this. "Don't start, just listen!" I scolded them.

"I hadn't asked him to turn me yet, but I wanted it already at that point. A vampire's bite start's the change in a human. It's an extremely painful process. Like being dipped in lava, only worse because you can't pass out and nothing makes it any better. Like every cell in your body is being burned alive and it lasts for about three days with no rest. And then when you come out of the other side, it's like a part of that fire lives in your throat for eternity and is only quenched by human blood. Or so I've been told anyhow. I've only had a small taste of what it is like." I tapped my hand on the bite.

"When James bit me, it was just as Edward arrived. Edward pulled him off of me and soon after the rest of the Cullens showed up. James was torn apart and burned."

"Good." Jacob growled. Several of the guys nodded in agreement.

"Do you guys remember how beat up I was when I got back?" I looked around, seeing their answers. "Well the most life threatening part was my femoral artery was cut." I pointed to my thigh. "I was bleeding out, Carlisle estimated if I had to wait on an ambulance I wouldn't have survived. Keep in mind, this was in front of seven vampires who _didn't_ try to kill me.

"The other issue was that when James bit me, his venom got into my blood stream and the change had started." I paused here, taking a deep breath. "Edward... he doesn't believe that vampires have souls. He didn't want to take my soul from me, he thought that would be the worst thing imaginable. Worse than anything he's ever done in the past."

A tear escaped and I brushed it away roughly.

"I think he's wrong, but none of that matters anymore. If it had been up to me, I'd have said to let the venom do it's work that day. I was dying from my injuries anyhow, and I was already bitten. It was what I wanted. Looks like _technically_ it wouldn't have even broken the treaty." I scoffed earning an annoyed glare from Sam.

"Carlisle stabilized my injuries as best he could and then Edward sucked the venom out of me, like with a snake bite. I ended up needing transfusions, but that was more from my injuries than from Edward. So yes. A Cullen did _drink_ my blood, but think of it as a medical procedure that kept me from becoming a cold one. The one that did the biting is dead." I finished.

The guys all looked shocked and confused.

"But I checked all the Cullens eyes when you got back from Phoenix." Jacob said, frowning. "They were yellow."

"Edward didn't drink enough of my blood to turn his eyes fully red. Just enough to get the venom out. By the time we got back, he had been back to animals long enough for them to be back to gold all the way."

"So the Cullens could cheat and drink from humans and we'd never know?"

"Missing the point Jake!" I said rolling my eyes. "And it doesn't normally work like that. Vampires can't just stop drinking. It was sort of a miracle Edward was able to stop with me."

I crawled back into Jake's lap, getting a bit cold again and needing to be held together for the next part of my story. I told the pack how after Phoenix, I wanted to become a vampire more than ever. The relationship between Edward and I seemed perfect after that, except that he had to restrain himself when he kissed me. This revelation got looks of disgust from the pack.

When I got to my birthday, my throat seemed to close up and I started to shake.

"Hey, how about we take a break and have lunch." Jake suggested, holding me tight.

I nodded gratefully.

"Although all this lovey-dovey mushy talk is kinda putting me off food." he teased me, pinching my side.

"As if that was possible!" I shot back.

I was glad for the break. The guys entertained me with funny stories while chowing down on the food Emily and I made earlier. It turns out that usually the wolves hunted while they were out to keep their grocery bills in check. Sam told me there were accounts that Ephraim Black used to share his kills with Carlisle Cullen, one taking the blood and the other the flesh, but he couldn't imagine that to be true.

"Why not? It makes sense. No waste that way." I said.

Jake scoffed. "Besides that our instincts scream 'Kill' when we see each other, the smell is enough to make you throw up."

I scrunched up my forehead in confusion. "They smell fine to me. Actually they smell really good."

"Ew, Bells. Just Ew." Jake said.

"The cold ones' scent to us is like concentrated bleach in intensity, but made of syrup. Super sweet, it burns our noses when we smell it." Sam said. "Artificial smelling, it's hard to explain." He grimaced. "They claim we smell foul to them as well."

I leaned over and sniffed Jake dramatically. Then shrugged laughing. "Guess I didn't get enough vampire in me to tell the difference."

"You're still all human, I'd have noticed right away if you had been even partially vamped." Jake said. "Trust me, my nose is a hundred times better than a bloodhound's."

"The last part of the story is probably going to piss you guys off again, but keep in mind everything I told you guys so far. Also keep in mind that I don't blame the Cullens for what happened. It was an accident, so keep cool." I looked around at the pack, waiting for their nods of agreement.

"I was opening birthday presents and I got a papercut. I started to bleed... and the scent caused Jasper and Edward to momentarily struggle with their control." Growls interrupted me. "_However_," I continued. "They didn't bite me or anything, and they left the room." I decided to leave out the part where I was shoved into the table and needed stitches.

Thinking about it again made me realize for the first time exactly why the family had left town. I had it all wrong. It wasn't because the townsfolk were growing suspicious of Carlisle's youth, or the things Edward said to me in the forest behind my house. It was that Edward realized in that moment when I started bleeding in his home that he could never love his _dinner_.

He had been playing with his food, much like James had been in the ballet studio, but in a much crueler way. The pain James had inflicted was a shadow of what Edward had done to me. The hole in me ripped open and I screamed silently, wishing my heart would just stop beating.

Without my permission, the rest of the story spilled out of my lips, every word that Edward spoke to me when he tore my life to shreds. I was on autopilot, not even seeing what was going on around me, reliving the scene in perfect clarity once again. I described the hole in my chest, how there had once been a tie between us, and how it felt to have it ripped away.

I found myself not in Jacob's embrace when I came out of the haze of memories, but in Sam's. The rest of the pack had left while I was unaware.

"Bella, look at me! Please!" he begged. "Bella!" he shook my shoulders.

"Sam?" I said, confused.

"Bells." he said in relief now that I was responding. Apparently I had been out of it for a while. My face was wet with tears and so was his shirt where my face had been pressed.

"It's going to be okay." he soothed. "The pack will take care of you, you aren't alone."

"Where did everyone go?" I asked.

"I sent the others off to patrol. I'll take you home when you're ready."

"Oh."

"Bells, what you described sounds like something from our legends. It's very rare, something that we don't talk about because of how painful it is to even think about. When a wolf loses an imprint, the pain of that connection being torn away causes madness. Most of the time, there is no coming back from it. That is why imprints are so sacred to us. If something happens to an imprint, it might as well kill us."

"Vampires call them mates." I said softly. "But the thing is, I don't think I'm Edward's mate anymore. I was once... but when he _left_... it broke. I can't, I won't accept him again. Maybe it's because I'm human and he's not. Or maybe it's because he never really accepted me like I did him. I don't know, but now I can tell it is over and it hurts more than anything. More than when I felt the fire from James' bite."

"When I first imprinted on Emily, we tried to resist the pull. I was engaged to Leah, do you remember?"

"Yes."

"I felt horrible. I still feel bad, but I can't do anything about it. When I saw Emily, my entire world was her. It didn't matter that I had been in love with Leah. It was over in that moment. Emily is Leah's cousin, they were close so Em didn't want to hurt Leah either. It was, _is_, torture for the three of us."

I looked into his eyes, seeing the pain there that he kept hidden from everyone.

"In the end, Emily and I had to hurt Leah, had to give in to the imprint. But Leah, she doesn't know why and she hates us both now. It is not fair to her, but how could I even begin to explain to her? I was so confused about everything and the tribal law forbids me from telling the secret to her." he looked ashamed.

"Sam, you're the Alpha, so that makes you the Chief, right?" I asked.

"Yes, until Jacob takes his place. If he ever does that is." he snorted.

"Then talk to Leah. You and Emily. Tell her the secret. Leah is a strong girl, she can take it. I know I would want to know the truth if it were me, even if it was painful rather than being left in the dark and always wondering why."

"I..." he began.

"Just do it." I nudged him.

Sam thought for a moment, his face tense. "Okay."

"Good. I know it will work out. Besides, I know Emily misses having Leah around. Not that you guys aren't great, but sometimes it's nice to have girl company." I punched his shoulder lightly, making sure not to bruise my fist.

He laughed. "How did you get to be so wise, pale-face?"

I smirked. "Oh, I always have been. You just never noticed."

"Ready to go back yet?"

"Actually, there is one more thing to talk about. You'll just have to mind-meld it to the pack later."

"There's more?" He asked, incredulous.

I pulled a bottle of water from the nearly empty back-pack and popped it open. The guys had packed everything together while I was out of it. The entirety of the picnic was now collapsed into a single bag now.

"Do you know anything about the Volturi?" I asked?

Sam's face was a picture of confusion.

"There is a reason the Cullens insisted on the pack not revealing vampires to humans in the treaty besides for themselves. It is against vampire law for humans to know about them."

"Vampires have laws?" his eyebrows shot up.

"Yes, and the Volturi are the enforcers." I explained. "There are three kings and their guard, all very powerful and gifted. They live in Italy and rule vampire kind. Their main law is to keep the secret. Humans are not allowed to know that vampires are _real_. If a human finds out, there are only two options for them. To be killed, or to become a vampire themselves."

Sam became angry then. "Damn Cullens. How could they put you in danger like this! Do these Volturi know about you? Will they come for you?" he demanded.

"I don't know." I said. "But the Cullens didn't tell me about vampires, I learned about them from you guys."

Sam's jaw dropped in realization. "So that was the reason for your little speech about the treaty. Well played girl."

I nodded. "The thing is, if the Volturi _do_ come for me, it won't just be me they kill. They might kill the Cullens for leaving me alive and the tribe for being a threat to vampire kind."

Sam's horrified expression met mine. "I cannot allow that to happen."

"I know, neither can I."

"Tell me everything about these Volturi."

"I don't know nearly enough." I started. "The kings are named Aro, Caius, and Marcus. They are very old, and very powerful. Carlisle lived with them for a time before Edward was born, for decades actually. He eventually moved on because he didn't agree with their way of feeding. I don't know how large their guard is exactly, but I've always gotten the impression that it is larger than the pack by far." I shot Sam a look.

Sam was trembling more than he had been all day and I frowned. Something was wrong. His gaze was locked at a point over my shoulder. I turned around quickly, standing.

My eyes focused on the edge of the clearing. A man was standing unnaturally still, but he was no stray hiker. A dizzying array of emotions swirled through me, finally settling on recognition.

"Laurent!" I was surprisingly pleased to see him.

"Bella? I thought you were... well, I was misinformed. It is good to see you." he said.

The last thing I recalled about him was that he had gone up to Denali to try the vegetarian diet with the Cullen's cousins in Alaska. Edward had implied that he had taken a liking to one of the Denali sisters, Irena.

My eyes greedily took in his appearance. It was as if I had been starved of vampiric beauty and I needed to drink him in. He wasn't as tall as most of the Cullen men, but still much taller than myself. His hair was black, his skin darker than other vampires, reflecting his heritage in his human life, but still having a paleness to it somehow. He was medium build and slightly muscular, but it was his eyes that caught my attention. They weren't as blood red as the first time I had seen him, but neither were they the gold I had become accustomed to with the Cullens.

Sam snarled loudly and I heard the tell-tale ripping of cloth behind me that indicated he had shifted. I felt the air move around me from the displacement, but Sam was careful not to hurt me. I kept my eyes on Laurent's odd orange-red ones, which were wide with fear.

"I don't believe it!" He said, his french accent ringing perfectly.

Sam stepped forward next to me, his form dwarfing mine. His eyes never left the vampire. I put my hand on his shoulder, having to reach up to do so. Laurent saw my movement and gasped in shock, his eyes darting wildly. He spun around, about to flee, but Paul and Jared were coming up behind him in the woods, making a rough triangle. Sam must have alerted them when he shifted.

"Stop!" I yelled, running straight at the startled vampire that was now surrounded before the wolves could advance on him.


	4. Chapter 4

**(Bella)**

I crashed into the stone body of Laurent and he held me to him like a shield, spinning in a circle. His grip on my shoulders was tight, but he was being careful enough with me to prevent causing damage. I could hear heavy footfalls as the rest of the pack converged on us.

"Bella! No!" Jacob's anguished cry rang out.

Laurent spun us again toward the voice of my friend, his unnecessary breathing fast in my ear, his mouth right next to my neck.

"Don't come any closer, beasts!" he threatened in a hiss, lowering his mouth to an inch from my neck. His cold breath sent shivers through me. Perhaps this wasn't my best idea, I thought, beginning to panic.

Laurent stroked my hair and whispered against my throat. "You can control them?" I could feel his teeth brush my delicate skin as he spoke. He sounded absolutely terrified. He must have known that even if he killed me, the wolves would surely finish him off before he could escape. The only thing keeping the stalemate was their reluctance to do anything to cause my death.

Sam phased back, throwing on a pair of shorts quickly now that the calvary had arrived.

"Vampire!" he yelled. "Harm the human and it will mean your death! Release Bella now!"

"Control?" I whimpered, overwhelmed. "They are my friends."

"Your friends are going to kill me child." Laurent answered, ignoring Sam's demand.

"Sam!" I called out. "Don't attack, okay?" I pulled back from Laurent, hoping he would allow it, knowing that I had no hope of breaking free from a vampire unless they wanted me to. At first, he didn't let me move an inch, but slowly his grip eased, his expression resigned.

Laurent spoke softly. I couldn't make out the words, but they sounded like a prayer.

"Sit on the ground, Laurent, and don't move no matter what happens." I told him.

His eyes locked with mine, but he stepped back from me and sat down. I stepped back from him a few paces, calling out to the wolves to stay where they were. When I was about five feet away, I sat down myself facing Laurent.

"Bells, what is _wrong_ with you!" Jake yelled, coming a little closer, carefully watching the vampire incase he moved to attack.

"Just hang back guys, everything's fine." I said in a calm voice, trying to regain my composure. I was a bit shaken, even though this situation was one entirely of my own making it was still enough to send adrenaline and pure fear rushing through my veins like ice water.

Jacob ignored my assessment and inched forward, trembling as he approached until he was standing over me and towering over Laurent, trying to push me away with his legs.

"Jake! Cut it out!" I complained, tugging on his hand, trying to get him to sit down. When he realized I wasn't moving, he sat down nearly on top of me.

"Time for part two of your vampire meeting Bells?" he growled out. "This the same _leech_ you were telling us about, the one that was going veggie up in Alaska?"

"Yeah, he didn't hunt me like James and Victoria." I said.

"Looks like he's fallen off the wagon." Jake said, looking at Laurent's eye color.

Laurent looked confused. "I wouldn't say that exactly. I never intended to convert to the strange diet the Cullen and Denali covens keep. However, I had been staying with the Denalis recently and while I was there, I did keep to their customs out of respect. I could never live that way long term." His statement caused the snarling from the wolves to increase. He looked around worriedly.

"I thought you were Irena's mate?" I said, remembering something Edward had told me.

"Mate? No. Didn't your Edward tell you about the Denali sisters?" he looked amused.

"Tanya, Kate, and Irena. Right? I don't know much about them." I admitted.

"Child, the Denali sisters are already mated. To each other." he laughed at my shocked expression. "I had heard that Edward was repressed, but I didn't believe it when I was told that he was in denial about it."

"I didn't know that was possible."

"It is a rarity. The three women are a special case, what legends refer to as succubi. They have been bound together for nearly a thousand years, but unlike traditional mates which are possessive and territorial of their partners, the sisters seek out men. Both human and vampires, to have relations with. Often they share them. Before they changed diets, they would feed from them afterwards. They joke about it now, saying they're strictly 'catch and release'. I had a _nice_ time in Alaska, but that was all." his expression was amused.

I blushed furiously. Wow, I could see exactly why Edward didn't or couldn't explain that to me. His puritanical views didn't extend to open-ended lesbian relationships, I was sure of that. It was hard enough getting chaste kisses from him. I remembered that Tanya had been trying to entice Edward for decades and instead of inciting jealousy, I was filled with amusement for once.

I burst into laughter. "Oh! Edward... Tanya was always after him. No wonder he was so uncomfortable!" I snorted in a very unladylike fashion, causing me to laugh even harder. Jake was staring at me like I lost my mind.

When I calmed myself down, I waved Sam over, getting up and resettling in Jacob's lap instead, which was more comfortable than the cold ground. Sam took a seat next to us and I squeezed his knee. The pack stayed phased, but my insane laughter had silenced the growling.

"I guess I should do proper introductions." I said. "This is Sam Uley, Alpha of the Quileute wolf pack." I pointed to Sam. "I'm sitting on my best friend, Jacob Black." I grinned cheekily. I pointed out the others, naming them off to Laurent.

"Wolf pack. I have never seen anything like your kind, although I had once seen a werewolf long ago." he said. "Children of the moon have been all but extinguished, but I was under the impression that they were ruled by the phases of the moon and had no intelligence while in wolf form, the beast controlling them completely. Perhaps the infection has mutated?" he pondered aloud.

"We were not infected, and we are not controlled by the moon." Sam said.

"I think you've been watching too many bad horror movies." Jacob looked skeptical.

"You are not true werewolves then, but something altogether different. There are such things as werewolves, much like from horror films. Caius of the Volturi has had them hunted down and exterminated. Are you contagious?"

"No, we inherit our abilities from our ancestors." Sam said shaking his head. "Do you think the Volturi will come here?"

"I doubt it, unless they had another reason to be here." he looked me pointedly. "That brings me to why I was in the area."

"Me." I said.

"Yes, you." he nodded. "I hadn't heard anything from the Cullens besides a phone call many months before when James died, informing me of my former coven mate's death. Carlisle wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings."

"I'm sorry." I said.

"Don't be, I didn't like him. It can be dangerous to travel alone. It was safer to travel with the pair, but already I was looking for other options when I met you and your Cullens." he waved his hand, dismissing my concerns. "I was surprised when Alice came to visit the Denalis a few weeks ago alone. Her story was very interesting. She told the coven how her Jasper had caused the death of Edward's mate."

"What?" I shouted.

"You understand my surprise to find you here now?"

"Why would she think I was dead, and why did she blame Jasper?" I asked, confused.

"Alice said she hasn't had a vision of you since the night the family moved on. The last thing she saw was you lying on the forest floor, lost and alone." Laurent said. "She said you died of exposure, that Jasper's attack on you at a birthday party was the cause of you becoming lost in the first place."

"No, it was Edward's fault I was in the woods, and I didn't die, obviously. That's when Sam found me." I answered, thinking hard. "Maybe she can't see the wolves. I've been with at least one of them almost all the time. Jake's been staying at my house or I've been on the rez."

"The pack has also been patrolling to make sure the red head doesn't sneak through and get to Forks. We must have been blocking the seer's visions." Sam added.

"That makes sense." Laurent said, continuing his story. "Alice said she hasn't told the others of your death, fearing Edward would do something drastic. That was the reason for her vacation to Denali. She wanted a break from constantly guarding her thoughts.

"I excused myself soon after Alice's arrival, not wanting to intrude on family time. I had been growing more and more anxious to move on anyhow, so I set off on my own. I ran into Victoria's scent not far from the Washington border. She told me that you were alive and that _you_ had killed James. I thought her mad with grief from losing her mate. It was unlikely a story. I promised to investigate for her, and here I am."

"So you're a spy?" Jake accused.

"I suppose, but I expected to find nothing but a dead girl. My intent after that was to grant Victoria the mercy of reuniting with her mate in the afterlife. It would be better that way, most vampires cannot survive the death of their mate and Vicki wasn't all that stable to begin with."

"But I'm not dead." I said.

"I don't see how that changes things." Laurent shrugged. "If your friends will allow it, I will meet with her, help her find her mate again. She trusts me, I doubt anyone else will be able to get close enough to her in her state to complete the task. It is a mercy. I will return in three days time. There is more to discuss, I think." He stayed seated, waiting for permission to move, aware of the encircling wolves.

Sam and Jacob exchanged a look over my head. Jake shrugged and Sam nodded.

"We haven't had a lot of luck pinning her down." Sam said hesitantly.

"It is her gift." Laurent said. "Evasion. She cannot be trapped under most circumstances."

"Handy." Jake muttered.

"Anyhow, we don't have much to lose. Don't hunt near here, we'll be expecting you in this spot in three days at noon." Sam sounded fierce as he delivered the statement. "This is your only chance, we spared you because Bella seems to befriend anything supernatural, even when it's highly dangerous and nearly suicidal." he glared at me playfully. "But if you come back uninvited, we won't be so forgiving."

"Noted, wolf." Laurent rose to his feet slowly, causing the rest of us to copy his movements. "Thank you for giving me this chance. I will return."

He walked slowly away until he was past the farthest of the wolves that had ringed around us, then used his natural speed causing him to blur and disappear.

"Bells, you have some strange friends." Jake said.

"I know, you're the weirdest." I joked, smiling.

We all headed home after that, everyone thinking over the events of the day. Jake came with me to Charlie's. I was actually relieved that Alice couldn't see me anymore. I didn't want her to control my life now that I was starting to live for myself for the first time.

I made plans to ride bikes with Jake tomorrow and said goodbye to him, having a quiet dinner with Charlie. Dad, Billy, and Harry Clearwater had spent the day fishing. He teased me a little about this morning, but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I went to bed early. I guess Jake was right about talking about things, I felt somewhat better after letting it all out.

I thought about what I had learned today as I was falling asleep that night. Alice thought I was dead, she blamed Jasper. My heart hurt for him. He must know how Alice felt about him with his gift. How could she blame him like that? Even if things had happened how she envisioned them, Jasper still wasn't to blame. It was an accident. I wished I could talk to him, to make sure he was alright. The fact that Alice visited Alaska _alone_ was telling. I was still digesting things when sleep pulled me under.

The next few days were quiet. No new mysterious disappearances were reported and the pack hadn't seen any sign of Victoria. Before I knew it, it was Tuesday and Sam came by Billy's where I was spending the day. I was in the middle of scrubbing the kitchen floor when he walked in, not bothering to knock.

"Sam Uley, if you get mud on this floor I will skin you alive!" I screeched, waving the mop at him.

He stepped back onto the small porch, hands up in surrender. "Sorry!"

I laughed and finished up, dumping out the dirty water and putting away the cleaning supplies before bringing out a couple of sodas. We sat on the steps. "So, what's up?"

"I thought you'd like to come with, see if your friend shows up?" he asked.

"Oh, yes!" I jumped up excitedly. "Let's go."

It didn't take long riding wolf back to arrive at the meadow. Jared and Paul flanked Sam as he ran. The rest of the pack was in school. Laurent was waiting for us, sitting in the exact center of the field. He tensed when the wolves arrived, but didn't get up, trying to look non-threatening I assumed.

"Hello." he called out.

"Hey." I said, climbing down off Sam's back. Sam waited until the other two returned in human form before jogging behind a tree to shift himself. Laurent studied the two boys with me in confusion and I realized he hadn't seen them except in wolf form so I quickly reintroduced them.

"Victoria?" Sam said, striding back into the meadow.

"Dead." Laurent said, tossing a small leather bag to Sam. He opened it, pouring some of the contents into his hand. It contained ash, which he sniffed, grimacing slightly at the scent.

Sam nodded, retying the bag and pocketing it. "You have our thanks."

"No thanks are needed. It was a mercy. No one should have to live without their mate, even ones as twisted as James and Victoria."

It was silent for a moment, Laurent seemed to be debating whether to say something. Finally, he started speaking again.

"When I came here before, I overheard the end of your conversation. My apologies for eavesdropping, but you were discussing the Volturi?" he asked.

"It's okay." I said, confirming.

"You know of the most important law of our kind then, child? No human is allowed to live that knows of us. I am bound to take action by our laws."

"We won't allow you to kill her or turn her!" Sam yelled.

"That leaves me with only one other recourse, I am obligated to go to the Volturi and report the Cullens as lawbreakers. I fear what will happen to all involved, and as impressive as your pack is, you cannot defeat them if they come for the girl." Laurent said sadly.

"We could kill you." Paul said, looking like he wanted to do just that. He wasn't very happy about playing nice with the Cullens when they were here. Having to let the human drinking vampire go had irritated him greatly.

"You could, possibly." Laurent agreed, nodding slowly. "But I will not allow it easily. I have been alive for nearly 300 years, I am not so easy to kill. Even if you manage it, I am not the only one who could tell the Volturi of Bella's knowledge. The Cullens could implicate themselves. How long can Alice keep the mind reader from learning the truth? The _drastic action_ the seer is so concerned about? She fears he will try to kill himself."

A memory flashed through my brain. I was sitting in a classroom with Edward, the day of my ill fated birthday party, watching Romeo and Juliet.

"He told me how he envied how easy it was for humans to die, how he had to consider it once, when he thought he was too late to save me from James. He said: '_I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi. You don't irritate the Volturi. Not unless you want to die._' If Alice ever slips, that is where he would go." My eyes were wide with horror.

"Indeed. And Edward isn't the only vampire that knows of you. All of the Cullens as well as the Denalis do. As well as myself and how many others by now? Vampires do tend to gossip I'm afraid. Do you know of Aro Volturi's power?"

"No." I frowned.

"Aro is a mind reader, but much more powerful than Edward. He must be touching someone for his power to work, but he gets every thought, every memory you have ever had with a single touch." he said, a look of awe on his face. "I wonder, Edward couldn't read you, perhaps you would be immune to Aro as well."

"I'm not sure I want to find out." I said, horrified at the idea of having someone looking through all my thoughts.

"Back to the point, the law must be upheld. As intriguing as you are, dear Bella, I'm not willing to be executed for your sake by the Volturi."

"You can't possibly be asking her to voluntarily die either." Jared said.

Laurent didn't answer that.

"Bella, would it be alright with you and your friends if Eleazer Denali and I were to stay at the Cullen home for a few days? He has an ability that is very useful, it might give us more options regarding the Volturi."

"More bloodsuckers!" snarled out Paul.

"Quiet!" Sam said. "What is his gift?"

"Eleazer can detect gifts in vampires, and if he concentrates, even in humans. If he can figure out if Bella will be able to block Aro's ability, then your people and all that knew of her as a human should be safe. She would just need to be turned and introduce herself to the royalty."

"If Aro can't read me, then he wouldn't know about the Quileutes and the law will be satisfied." I said.

"Correct." Laurent nodded.

"Bella, we can't ask this of you. I know you would do anything to keep us safe, but becoming a vampire is too much." Sam said. "Your life is worth more to us than you know. Think of Jacob."

"Worth more than Emily, Sam? Worth more than the entire pack? Than every member of the tribe? I won't be responsible for the Volturi coming here and wiping the Quileutes off the map." I said heatedly. "I always knew it would come to this Sam, since the day I fell in love with Edward Cullen, I knew my fate was sealed."

Paul stomped off into the forest, unable to listen to anymore.

"Jared, go after him." Sam said softly. "We're fine here."

He followed reluctantly, looking over his shoulder.

"I won't let you decide right now. We need to have a council meeting and you need to think about it more."

"I already know what I need to do Sam."

"Please Bella, just think about it some more. Think about what you'd be giving up. Charlie and Jacob, your life here." Sam pleaded.

"Okay, I will." I said, knowing nothing would change.

"I have your permission Sam to bring Eleazer to the Cullen home? He is an animal drinker if it helps." Laurent said.

"He may come, but stay on the Cullen lands and keep to the animal diet while you are here."

Laurent produced a cell phone and called the Alaskan vampire right away. It was a bit strange to see such an old nomadic vampire embracing technology, but I supposed he had to have some way to keep in touch. I was sure Sam could hear both sides of the conversation, but from the half I was getting, it didn't make a ton of sense.

I gathered enough that Eleazer agreed to come, but that he didn't know the true reasons, only that Laurent had met someone who needed help with their gift and had agreed to meet at the Cullen's Forks home. He would be arriving in a few days with his mate Carmen. Eleazer did seem a bit concerned that they were using Carlisle's home without permission, but Laurent smoothed it over by reminding the vampire that Carlisle would never turn away someone in need and this was a delicate situation.

When the call ended, I made a mental note to get Laurent's phone number in case I needed it in the future. I still had some money saved up from my college fund and first thing tomorrow I was going to buy a cell phone. I wondered if Laurent had the Cullen's numbers, but I would wait to ask him or maybe just try to sneak his phone away while he was hunting like a coward.

"He's not bringing Alice, is he?" I asked, suddenly worried that she or the other Cullens would come crashing back into my life. I wanted to see some of them again, but on my terms.

"No, Alice didn't stay long. Not enough shopping for her in Alaska it seems."

"As for permission to use the house, Carlisle and Esme once called me daughter, so I'm inviting you." I smirked. "Just because they left me without a goodbye doesn't mean they revoked my right to have houseguests, does it?" I snarked.

That got a chuckle from both Sam and Laurent.

"Think they'd mind if we had a bonfire in the backyard? Got a little drunk and messy werewolf style?" Sam joked, eyebrows wiggling.

"Tempting!" I pretended to consider it.

We said goodbye to Laurent who went to air out the Cullen place and make sure the water and electric were turned on. Instead of bringing me home, Sam ran me back to his house and left me with Emily while he let the elders know there was to be a meeting tonight.

"So vampire-girl, Sam looked pretty serious. Something going on?" Emily asked.

"You could say that wolf-girl." I sighed. "Meeting tonight, about me becoming a vampire to save the tribe from annihilation by the kings of the vampire world. Same old, same old."

"I should be surprised, but somehow, this seems almost normal coming from you." she laughed.

I filled Emily in on Laurent, the Volturi, and the laws. As much as I would miss Charlie, I was going to have to move on eventually anyhow and it wasn't safe for me to stay in his life. Someday he'd see too much and then it wouldn't just be my life balancing on the knife's edge, it would be his as well. I couldn't do that to him. Besides my dad, all I had left was the pack. I hoped that even if I was a cold one, I could keep my friends somehow.

Emily listened as I spilled my guts to her, letting her know exactly how I felt about the thought of being changed and how little there was for me in the human world. She hugged me tight and told me no matter what, she'd be my friend. I let myself hope just a little bit that for once, things would go my way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I've had a few reviewers ask about the Cullens. Where they are, why didn't Alice see this or that, etc. Hopefully this clears things up a bit. Also we finally see some Jasper! A few tweeks to his history here, I just don't agree with the cannon of Peter only spending 3 years with him before taking off with Charlotte. I didn't give an exact number of years, but lets just call it more than 3.**

**Thank you to everyone that has reviewed so far, please keep them coming! Check your inboxes if you are registered, I have been replying. Hopefully this slightly larger chapter makes up for the lack of one earlier. I needed to do some editing and it slowed me down a little bit. Enjoy! - **_**C**_

**(Alice)**

I wasn't sure what went wrong, I had seen it all play out perfectly in my vision. It must have been something split-second. Last minute decisions were the bane of my existence! My best laid plans often went to waste due to them, no matter how many factors I accounted for.

I had been planning Bella's birthday party ever since Bella recovered from "The Phoenix Incident" as the family had taken to calling it. I saw that if we arrived at the airport early, Bella would give Jasper the slip and would become a vampire and my sister forever. Although I couldn't quite see the specifics, I was confident in my gift. When it all played out, I was horrified at what had almost happened. Not even a psychic could have predicted Carlisle's unprecedented suggestion to suck the venom back out of her. It had never before been attempted.

I never wanted my friend to be tortured like that. I would never have allowed it if I had known, but I was focusing on too much at the time, my attention divided, and I wasn't getting a clear picture. That's why I spent months working on her birthday party. I considered every possible problem in detail whenever I could be sure Edward was out of range of my mind.

It was hard for me to see visions of humans. Vampires were much easier, I think because they were my own kind. For humans I had to know them fairly well to get a vision of them and I had to concentrate. With vampires, especially my family, I didn't even need to look sometimes, the visions would come unbidden into my head.

The only exception was if humans would effect my family greatly, but those visions were very murky and hard to figure out. I had known something would happen when Bella first moved to Forks for example, but it was very unclear. I couldn't tell much about her besides that she was a new girl and she would change things, but I had a lot of trouble with how until I met her and then it got marginally better. As I interacted with Bella, it became easier, but still it took work to get a clear view.

Wouldn't it be grand to have Bella's birthday be her transformation day as well? How perfect! I sent emails to Charlie and Renee pretending to be them, making them think they were the ones to come up with the idea of a scrapbook and camera for Bella. The camera would allow me to tell everyone where to stand so that I could manipulate the odds in my favor.

I made sure to personally wrap the presents under the guise of wanting everything to match the color scheme so that at the exact right moment, Bella would cut herself. I made sure Edward went hunting before the party and Jasper was kept busy hanging decorations so that he would be extra thirsty. I felt a little bad using Jasper like that, but after sixty years I was good at only feeling emotions I needed to around him. I couldn't afford for him to get suspicious.

The way it was supposed to happen was so different than how it did. I arranged the family so that I was standing near Edward, but the rest were near Jasper. I knew when the scent of the blood hit the air, Jazz would go crazy and it would take everyone to haul him out. Jasper had so little control over himself, he slipped more often than any of us. It was frankly embarrassing.

Edward would snap and before the rest of the family could stop him, Bella would be on her way to becoming a Cullen. I would be on hand to keep him from going too far and to make sure this time the process completed. I fed myself until I sloshed just to be safe. Edward would need me focused so I could help him. I already had the moving trucks on standby for our escape from Forks.

It turned out we needed the trucks, but everything else went wrong. Instead of a snarling mess, Jasper had to choose this time to be restrained around human blood, barely even struggling. Over the years I watched him fail in our diet almost a dozen times, yet I served up bleeding human on a platter and he couldn't even make a scene for me? The party was broken up, both Edward and Jasper removed to regain control. I was so confused I ran out of the house.

The future went into chaos soon after, it was weeks until I could make heads or tails of it. I found it hard to concentrate on anything when I couldn't _see_. I barely remember the move, not because of anything wrong with my memory, but because I was too busy trying to untangle the future to pay attention to the present.

The last time I saw my sister, she was wandering around the woods, lost. It was dark and getting darker. She fell and didn't get back up again, and then my vision went black. At first, I couldn't accept it, there had to be another explanation. I kept looking, but there was never any vision including Bella.

For the time being, I knew I had to keep this from the family. Everything was a mess here and I was sure knowing this would make it worse. After the birthday party, I was reluctant to rely on my vision alone to confirm something so important. I waited until I could be sure, keeping my mind off it.

It wasn't hard keeping Edward out of my head at first, he was a broken shell for the first few weeks. Carlisle and Esme put him in his room and took him out to feed every few days, but besides that he didn't move on his own. He recovered after a while, playing melancholy tunes on his piano and acting almost like his usual depressed self. My brother was never a happy soul. The only real difference was he was angrier, especially toward Jasper.

Jasper avoided everyone, staying in his study most of the time. He had considered leaving at several points, but I intercepted him each time and guilted him into staying. Eventually he quit trying. He tried to tell me he couldn't handle all of the emotions from the family but I told him they were his own fault and he needed to deal with the consequences of his actions. He stopped complaining after that, resigned to suffering in silence.

I wanted to punish him for messing up everything. I worked hard for months to make our family complete. I had put up with his slips for years, his lack of fashion sense, his poor taste in music. The man was hopeless, but I dutifully made sure he was presentable and cleaned up his messes. The one time I needed him to act like his usual savage self and get everyone away so that Edward would bite Bella, he wouldn't do it.

He _wanted_ to, I knew that! Everyone saw how dark his eyes got. He was the first one to lunge for Bella after all. Poor Edward was so worried that he pushed Bella away, causing her to get injured even more. I put that at Jasper's feet as well. Then when it counted, he had to go and leave, the job half-done. I was working myself up just thinking about it!

If it wasn't for the situation, I would have loved the house. It was in upstate New York and absolutely beautiful. Esme had designed all the suites with his and hers sitting areas and bathrooms. It was amazing. Mine was designed like my very own fashion studio, while Jasper's was more of an old-style gentleman's study. I was just glad to have his things out of sight. I didn't have to see Jazz at all for days at a time, which with how I felt toward him was a good thing.

Rose agreed with me about the house, but her husband was still whining over Bella, so she had to act like she cared in front of the others. Rosalie was originally from New York, so she had a connection with this area. Esme chose to come here next knowing my sister would be most put out with being forced to move. Rose and I hunted together often, just to talk, and I told her of my vision about Bella.

"Rose, I know you never liked Bella, but I am afraid our leaving got her killed. I can't see her in my visions anymore. The last thing I saw, she was lost in the forest. I think she's dead because of us, because of Jasper." I admitted.

"I may not have liked her, but I never wanted her dead. She was a fool to get involved with vampires in the first place." Rose tossed her hair. "Are you sure?"

"No, I can't be sure. I have been trying to see her, but so far nothing." I rubbed my temples. It was a good thing I was unable to get a headache.

"Only one thing we can do then sister." Rose said smiling. "We need to go shopping."

I bounced a few times and grinned. "Not sure how that will help, but it couldn't hurt."

"Ali, we go shopping in Florida. Her mother lives there, right? We do a little snooping, get the whole story. I'm sure if Bella is dead, we can figure it out. Besides, nothing cheers up my child of a husband more than those ridiculous mouse hats." She rolled her eyes. "It's like being married to a five year old."

I consulted the future. Going to Florida to shop under the guise of cheering up Emmett would work. "We'll need to pick up hats for everyone, and a Captain Hook costume in extra, extra, extra large. Oh and a tinkerbell costume for you..." I shuddered. It was disturbing at times being privy to my family's perversions. Surprisingly, Carlisle and Esme were the worst.

"Forget that, never going to happen." Rose huffed. "He gets a hat and that's it."

"Thank God." I said, rechecking.

"Okay, there is a flight leaving in five hours, so we should leave right away." I jetted off toward the house with Rose at my side. "That gives us just enough time to pack and drive to the airport." I trilled excited to be getting out of the house.

I told Esme where we were going and Rose and I were packed quickly. We only brought a few things, deciding that we would fill our luggage with our new purchases anyhow. Our flight landed in the evening, so we didn't have to worry about the sun the first day there. The Miami area had a great nightlife, so instead of fighting the weather, we just got a hotel downtown.

The first two days were strictly retail therapy. We had the concierge at the hotel fetch us the personalized mouse hats so we wouldn't have to go near the amusement parks or hokey souvenir shops. The stitching needed to be custom done anyhow due to our names being unpopular on the whole. My own and Edward's were easy enough but I'd never seen Carlisle written on a hat.

On day three it was raining so we drove our rental car to Jacksonville and found Renee and Phil's home. We parked down the street and waited until dark, slipping into the house. The couple wasn't at home, so snooping around was easy. On the dining room table I found papers that indicated Renee was removing Bella's name from her assets.

I went by scent, finding where Bella had been. It was hard, I didn't think she had ever actually been in this house before. She had a bedroom here however. I found it on the second floor in the midst of being packed away. The bed was already leaning against the wall and her things were being sorted into boxes labeled "donation" and "trash".

Rose came back into the room, looking around. "I found some records on the computer. No phone calls or emails to Forks since September. However, about a week after Bella's birthday Renee and Phil flew up there and stayed for three days before returning home." Rose's face looked sad.

"Just long enough for a funeral." I waved my hand at the room. "And now she's emptying her dead daughters room. There were some legal papers downstairs as well, removing Bella from documents." I sighed, it seemed true.

"Sorry Alice, I know you cared about her." Rose hugged me quickly pulling back as a car pulled into the drive. She tugged my hand and we ran out of the house before we could be found out. The drive back to the hotel was silent, both of us thinking about what we had learned.

When we got back to our room I broke down sobbing and told Rose how sorry I was for not listening to her about Bella in the first place.

"It's okay Alice, eternity is a long time and you needed a sister you could fix up. Lord knows the girl needed a lot of work to be presentable and Edward really seemed to like her. You were only trying to help. She was even beginning to grow on me." Rose looked a bit sad.

"You can't tell the others." I told her. "They are broken up enough just thinking she is alive and happy somewhere living her life. If they knew that Jasper taking a bite at her caused her death it will rip what is left of our family apart!" I insisted.

"Agreed. I don't think I could take it if Emmett heard about it. He needs to hurry up and forget the girl." Rose nodded.

Rose was as good as I was at keeping Edward out of her mind, so I wasn't worried about that. We decided to end our trip early and headed back to the family. Finally accepting Bella's death released the dam I had been holding my emotions behind however and Jasper got the full brunt of them. I found I didn't have it in me to care anymore.

**(Jasper)**

My wife had left for a shopping trip to Florida and hadn't even told me she was going. Esme was kind enough to knock on my door and let me know. I thanked her, sending her my gratitude with my gift and some peace. It was hard to send emotions I didn't feel myself, but Esme deserved to feel some peace. If it wasn't for spending her entire immortal life pretending, she wouldn't be able to hold it together. I certainly couldn't anymore.

No one seemed to notice as I fell apart. Everything changed for me in Phoenix. I started paying attention again, after so long of ignoring my surroundings.

I started my life as a soldier in Maria's army, fresh from the civil war. From one battle to another more vicious one. I was good at what I did and at first, I enjoyed it. The raw power that comes with immortality. The blood and sex, rewards that were heaped at my feet with every success I had were too much to ignore. I never failed my sire, never let her down, and I took everything I was offered in return.

It was decades until I began to question my lot in life. I realize now that it was a combination of things. I had finally begun to actively try to remember my human life, my power had magnified as I learned to control it, and we were back in the part of Texas I had grown up in. Maria sensing my mood prepared a special treat for me, so she called it, and led me to my human family's farmhouse.

Some of the newborns had already been released, those that did especially well in our latest battle, and I listened as they destroyed my remaining relatives. I showed no emotion in front of Maria. She ordered me to burn it down when I was done and I thanked her, kissing her before she left. It wasn't wise to appear unappreciative when receiving a gift from our leader.

I marched in the door, not recognizing the children the newborns were draining. I didn't let my eyes linger on them long. It was the blonde woman that caught my attention however. I knew her, although she didn't look as I remembered. She was older and I was forever frozen at the cusp of twenty. My sister, her name lost to me, but I remembered loving her once. I flung the vampire off of her and grabbed her, dragging her into a room and closing the wooden door.

She was already weak from blood loss, but there was no venom in her. Her eyes were wide with fear and recognition. She held her wound closed and whispered my name.

"It will be over soon little sister." I told her, using my gift for the first time to try to ease a human's suffering. I drank from her carefully, trying to keep her from feeling further pain. I couldn't stop my own pain however, I felt her horror and anguish. Her terror for herself and her children which were already dead in the next room. When her heart stopped I kissed her forehead and closed her eyes.

Ordering the newborns to leave, I burned the place to the ground, staying until the fires were out. I was harder after that. Meaner than ever, hiding my weakness. I was broken, unable to simply enjoy the carnage. I felt too much from then on. My gift was my curse.

At first Maria delighted in the changes to my personality. I took the battle more seriously and I was even more fearsome a warrior and lover. Over time, the depression became harder to hide and even my sire noticed it. I think that is why she allowed me to keep a newborn I took a liking to named Peter. He was a good fighter and approaching yearling status. I was reluctant to end him however, I found peace in his company. He had a useful gift besides, he was hard to track, almost scentless when he wished to be. A perfect scout.

Maria saw my hesitation and granted me his life, saying that I had earned a pet for all my hard work. She reminded me that he was my responsibility and I would need to keep him in line or be punished. I accepted, glad to have a friend. Peter felt more like a brother than a friend to me. We didn't speak all that often. I preferred to communicate with my emotions and Peter understood me well enough. I made him my second in command and for years, things were smooth.

It wasn't until Peter fell in love with a pretty little thing named Charlotte that things got complicated. How he hid his feelings from me, I'll never know, but somehow I didn't catch on until the girl was a yearling about to to be culled. Peter shouted for her to run and took off after her, leaving me in the dust. I could have caught them both easily, but I let them go. I could feel their love and it confused me. I had never before felt a mate bond, never felt such pure love and devotion.

Maria tortured me for months when she found out that Peter was gone and took one of the yearlings with him. The pain was horrible, I was scarred worse than usual and refused a drop of blood to drink. I didn't even fight her, I was so lonely without my brother it didn't matter to me if Maria killed me. After feeling how much Peter and Charlotte cared about each other, I had finally realized how much Maria had been using me all these years. She lied to me, told me she loved me, but I could see now that she did not.

My lack of reaction made Maria suspicious and she began subtly looking for my replacement. It was clear that my time here was limited, but I had no where else to go. This life was all I knew. I sabotaged her efforts and it became a game between us, plotting and planning behind each other's backs.

It was three years after Peter left before I caught sight of him at the edge of camp. I followed him out of camp at a distance and found him and his Charlotte standing in a river waiting for me. He didn't say a word, just sent me longing and loneliness. With a nod of his head to follow, I joined him. We stayed in the river for a while to throw off the scent, then headed north and away from the wars forever.

Charlotte forced me to start talking by refusing to give in to my silent communication like her mate did. It was probably for the best anyhow, I was too withdrawn. She was a sweet girl, I was happy for my brother. Charlotte had a hard time seeing past the fact that I was the one who changed her, forcing her from her human life into Maria's army. I probably should have apologized, but I didn't know how to say I was sorry back then. Maybe I was just afraid she would tell me to go to hell like I deserved.

I stayed with them for years, but it wasn't easy. I was finding it hard to feed now that I was out of battle. To kill in the heat of combat was different than stalking prey. Add to that my gift and I could hardly stand to feed myself. In addition, the climate of a newly mated couple was a bit much to take. I was still feeling raw from realizing I was alone with eternity staring me in the face.

I struck out on my own and found Alice, or she found me. She knew I was coming, of course, and even had the guts to scold me for being late. Unsure what to do, I apologized to the strange little vampire. That was the beginning of my deconstruction. I tried to fight it at first, but I just didn't have the energy to keep up with the pixie.

She fed me such good emotions in the beginning and I ate them up greedily. I believed all her promises of a bright future. She told me she loved me and even though I could sense something off in her emotions, I wanted so bad to believe it that I ignored my instincts. I wanted what Peter and Char had, or as close to it as I was able to get.

Even though the food was disgusting, it was a nice break from the depression I had been living in all the time. I let her take over my life piece by piece without a struggle. I had more _accidents_ than the rest of the family combined, but each time I was punished for them by my wife and family's emotions.

I could control myself, I had been tortured, starved, and forced to keep going while I was with Maria. I'm not sure why the Cullens equated human drinker with uncontrolled, but they seemed to think they were one and the same. They had a harder time around humans than most of our kind did in my experience, excluding Carlisle. I had to hunt more often than the rest of them because I could feel their thirsts with my gift, which only confirmed their backwards theories about my lack of control.

My accidents would happen when I got fed up with the scorching burn that was permanent from having six other vampire's bloodlust on top of my own. Animal blood never soothed the burn completely, just dulled it. A constant state of half-starved, it was maddening. So sometimes, I would smell someone particularly appetizing and would indulge as long as it was safe enough to do so. Sometimes the family would panic and move anyhow, but they didn't need to. I was careful.

I took the shame and guilt for it afterwards, just like I felt the depression for ending some poor person's life. It was my cross to bare and I did so without complaint. I made sure my nosey mind-reading brother never got wind that my accidents were less than accidental and I never planned my attacks out to keep my wife in the dark. It was the least I could do, the Cullens didn't need to know they were harboring a monster in their home.

When Bella came into our lives, things began to change. My broody brother started dating his singer of all people and with the family's blessing. His emotions were not love, but of obsession and ownership. The girl's however were so pure that they about knocked me over when I felt them. Bella felt things more deeply than anyone I had ever encountered before. I was forbidden from getting to know her because of my history of having accidents with humans. I regretted giving into my thirst more than anything else I had ever done, now that it was keeping me away from Bella.

Through a twist of fate, Alice and I escorted the girl alone to Phoenix when the tracker was after her. I was even allowed alone in the room with her several times while Alice got refreshments. It was everything I hoped it could be, but not enough. Bella was too concerned with the situation to pay me much mind.

I resolved to keep her safe, hoping one day I would get a chance to become her friend. It didn't feel right to think of myself as her brother. Friend wasn't right either, but it would have to do for now. I wasn't sure what to make of her, I was completely captivated. I helped her to sleep with my gift, watching her in amazement. I was just about to touch her delicate cheek when Alice returned, causing me to step back guiltily. I received a look, but Alice said nothing.

The trip to Phoenix ended in disaster. I felt like a failure. The only good thing that came of it was the satisfaction of ripping James apart with my brother Emmett. Our eyes met for a second as we dismembered him, sharing a moment. Emmett was in every way that mattered Bella's brother and he derived as much satisfaction as I did from destroying this vampire that dared to hurt her.

After that, I made it a point to be in the room when Bella was at our home. I may not have been allowed to speak with her, but I made sure to be there. I learned as much as I could about her from observation. It was concerning seeing her personality become smothered by Edward over time, but she seemed happy so I didn't interfere. After all, wasn't I a prime example?

Seeing Bella become so overcome made me question my relationship with Alice. I could never leave her, I was nothing without her. Still, a part of me _wanted_ to rebel. I used to be Major Jasper Whitlock, leader of men and feared vampire of the southern wars. Now, I was Jazzy, my wife's pet in every way that mattered.

I wished Peter was near enough for a visit. He always helped me get my head on straight. He was a no-nonsense kind of person, cutting through my bullshit faster than I could spout it. Alice didn't like me talking to him, claiming he was a bad influence on me, that talking to him would cause me to lose control and kill a human. Reluctantly, I had cut contact with him for the most part over the years.

Peter and Char had only met Alice a few times and they didn't get on very well, but Peter understood that I needed more than the nomadic life at the time so he wished me well. I always had a place with them, they were my own coven, seeing me as their coven leader even though I had spent the last sixty odd years apart from them. For a vampire, time flowed differently and bonds once made were tighter than in the human world.

When Bella's eighteenth birthday drew near, I detected something strange going on, but I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Alice was being secretive, but she often acted that way. Still, I couldn't shake my unease. I tried to hunt, feeling my thirst growing fierce, but something always seemed to take precedence. By the time Bella arrived, I was anxious, but I resolved to keep it together. I wouldn't fail this time, I had failed the girl enough already.

When she cut herself I locked my body down as much as possible, barely struggling as I was pulled out of the room. Emmett praised me softly as he removed me, surprised at the ease at which I went. He and I had sparred for fun many times and he had expected me to fight him, but I hadn't. If I wanted to, I could have killed the girl before any of the Cullens could have stopped me. None of them were fighters and I had taken on as many as them before and come out on top in the past.

Once away from the scent, I retreated to the forest to feed. I felt guilty for even entertaining the thought of hurting Bella and wallowed in my guilt until I was fetched back, informed that we were moving.

Unsurprisingly, the family turned their anger on me. Edward especially blamed me for the move and the loss of Bella in our lives. I had finally proven to him that it was too dangerous for the human girl to be around such deadly predators. He broke up with her, not allowing anyone to say goodbye. I wanted to apologize to her, but the suggestion was shot down harshly with accusations of finishing what I started. The only one that didn't act that way was Emmett, but he was too wrapped up in his own grief to defend me.

After that, my life became a worse hell than Maria's camp ever was. I was constantly immersed in a sea of crippling sadness and grief, both my own and the rest of the family's. The only break in it was when I was seen, then I was shot with anger and hatred if it was Edward, Rose, or Alice. Pity and shame if it was Carlisle or Esme. Emmett like myself made himself scarce.

I thought about leaving, going off on my own or rejoining Peter and Char, but Alice stopped me every time, reminding me that I deserved to feel the way I did. I hated her for it and quickly stopped planning to leave, just to keep from having to feel her emotions directed at me. Alice never sent anything positive my way anymore, she was my jailor.

Things got even worse when Rose and Alice returned from Florida. The two women didn't even have to see me for me to feel their hate. I stopped eating, but no one seemed to notice except Esme. I would go feed when she came to remind me, but only to keep her from worrying about me. The rest of the time I spent thinking about Bella and how wonderful her emotions felt, trying to use them as a buffer between myself and the rest of the household.

It wasn't until late February that things changed again. Alice went on a trip by herself, annoyed that Edward was trying to get at something she wanted hidden in her mind. Edward was very persistent if he got a hint of something he was interested in and would keep at it until he was satisfied. Not wanting to feel his petulance, I slipped out the window, hunting voluntarily for once.

With Alice away in Alaska I felt like I could breathe for the first time in a while. It should have been the opposite, the mate bond typically causing pain and distress with distance. I pushed the thoughts away for now, not ready to waste this small break thinking about it. I found a deer and fed.

I was sitting on a large rock, enjoying my solitude when my phone rang. The caller ID said unknown.

"Hello?" I asked, unsure.

"Howdy brother. Long time no see."

"Peter!" I smiled. "Been too long." Just hearing his voice made me feel better.

"I heard you and your wife were in New York. Char and I were in the area, thought we'd drop by and say hello."

"I'd love to see you, but things are a bit of a mess here Captain." I quickly explained what happened. He grunted in the right spots, but didn't stop me.

"That doesn't add up to me, but alright. You tell that coven leader of yours we'll be coming to visit, ya hear?" Peter said, his voice a bit hard. "Something doesn't set right with me and I wanna see for myself."

"Alice is off visiting the Denalis in Alaska, so I don't see any major issues anyhow with a visit." I said. She was the biggest reason they avoided coming around.

"All the way in Alaska? How's the pull Major?" Peter asked with shock in his voice.

"Pull?" I was confused.

"Nevermind." he sounded a bit smug. "I'll talk to you when we get there. Should only be a few hours if we run. Get on home and let 'em know we're coming. I'm sure the lovely Esme will want to get a room ready for us."

"See you soon brother." I rang off smiling, running back with more energy than I felt in a while.

I could feel the negative emotions growing stronger as I approached the house, but I fought them off. I had something to do, I couldn't just give in and let them take me under this time. I found Esme first, gardening outside the house. I told her we were having guests and she seemed happy about it. She did indeed head straight inside to prepare the guest room as Peter predicted.

Next up was Carlisle's home office. He was a bit less enthusiastic, knowing that my friends were human drinkers. He was above all things a good host however and accepted that they would be staying. I knew from experience that he'd use the time they were with us to try to convert them to the Cullen diet. I didn't think he had any chance of doing it, but there wasn't any harm in him trying. At least his emotions were of determination and hope instead of the soup they had been mired in. Peter and Charlotte's visit was having a good effect on everyone so far.

I knocked on Rose and Emmett's door next, they would be easier to tell than Edward. Emmett always liked Peter, the two were both pranksters and got along from the start. Rose treated the couple like dirt, beneath her notice. That was pretty much how everyone was to her however, so I told them not to take it personal.

Rose reacted by screaming at me, asking how much further could I sink bringing animals like them into the house. Emmett didn't say much, just clapping me on the shoulder and saying it would be good to see Peter and Char again. The light was gone from his eyes, but he tried on a smile for my benefit. Rose ran straight to Edward and told him, which I guess saved me the trouble.

I retreated to the front porch, waiting outside until they arrived, Emmett leaning against the doorframe with me. Both of us trying to ignore the shrieking and whining coming from the upper floors as Rose and Edward tried to convince Carlisle to refuse our guests entry. Thank God Alice wasn't here as well, I thought to myself.

It wasn't long until my friends arrived, hugging both me and Emmett in greeting. They glanced toward the upper floors where the debate was still raging on, oblivious to their arrival.

"Welcome as always, I see." Peter said sarcastically, causing the noise to cut off and doors to slam above.

Carlisle walked down the stairs at a human pace, embarrassment flowing from him.

"My apologies for my children, they sometimes forget their manners and we have had a trying time recently." he tried to smooth over. "You are always welcome in my home." He shook hands with the pair.

Esme zoomed in, hugging Char and giving Peter a kiss on the cheek. "I have a room done for you, let me show you to it so you can clean the road off you." She beamed a huge smile off them, happy to have someone new to take care of for a little while.

They followed her up, thanking her loudly and promising to stay a while winking down to Emmett and me. I could feel the annoyance coming from Rose and Edward as well as amusement from Emmett. Peter sure knew how to wind them up.


	6. Chapter 6

**(Peter)**

"I can tell it's bad Char, worse than ever." I frowned. "He's in a worse place now than he was when we got him away from Maria, and that is something impressive."

"Don't beat yourself up. We thought we were doing right sending him off on his own. He needed something more than we could give him. It seemed like the right thing to do. He was so broken, nothing we were doing was any help."

"I know, but this just feels wrong."

I couldn't feel emotions like my sire, and I wasn't a psychic like the woman he ran off with, but all vampires had a bond with their makers. The strength of that bond varied greatly, but for Jasper and I, it was intense. It rivaled the depth of the bond I shared with my mate, not that I would admit that outloud ever. I guess it figured that with as many vampires as the Major made, one of them would have a special bond, and that was me.

Venom was venom on the whole, it changed a human to a vampire and that was that. One vampire's venom worked the same as another's. A powerful vampire didn't make powerful children. Powers didn't pass from father to son. The only side effect that seemed to be universal was an aversion to harm your sire and to be a bit subservient to them for the first few years with very few exceptions, it wore off and most people weren't even aware of it.

With Jasper and I, it was something else entirely. Mostly it just made it so I could find him when we were separated and I had a general inkling of his state if he was distressed. That's how I knew I needed to come visit. And this time, I wasn't leaving him here unless I got some answers.

Char had gotten sick of my worrying and we had headed to where I knew him to be a week ago. Now that we were close I was debating on what to do next.

My mate tossed me my phone, rolling her eyes at me. "Just call him, worst case he doesn't answer and we go anyhow."

"You're right, you always are." I kissed her softly and dialed my brother.

He answered and we made plans to visit, the few details I got over the phone were disturbing. The Cullens had broken the law by revealing themselves to a human and didn't seem to care about it. I knew the coven leader Carlisle was in good with Aro of the Volturi, but I doubted that would give him a free pass. What had my brother got involved in?

"We have to get him out of there Char, before he goes down for that coven's mistakes. I don't doubt for a second they will leave him out to dry on this one."

She nodded and we took off at a dead run for the Cullen home. When we arrived we could hear an argument going on in the upper floors. Sounds like not everyone was excited to see us. I smirked at my mate, glad to be causing some discord already. It would make it easier to find out what was going on if they were fighting amongst themselves.

Char and I hugged my brother and Emmett, who were waiting for us on the front porch. I had always liked Emmett. Of all the Cullen coven, he was the only one of them that was worth knowing. He was a genuine person and had a sense of humor. The rest of them were either pretentious as all hell or miserable. I felt bad for him being saddled with that blonde harpy. She was a looker, but her beauty only went skin deep.

Char and I looked up toward the noise coming from upstairs. There was Emmett's little cream-puff now, and it sounded like Eddie as well, trying to convince Daddy we were too low-class to be allowed in their mansion.

"Welcome as always, I see." I said, letting the sarcasm roll out freely. My voice cut their whining and there was stomping and door slamming, followed by the good Doctor making a dignified entrance. He made excuses and a half-hearted welcome. Ever the missionary, he accepted us here only to try to tame us of our heathen ways. I had no illusions of that.

His wife on the other hand, was glad to see us. If she wasn't so deeply sad all the time, she would be great to be around. I don't see how the rest of them could look in her eyes and not want to cry. "I have a room done for you, let me show you to it so you can clean the road off you." She beamed a huge smile at us, almost hiding her grief momentarily.

"Well now, little lady, it's always a pleasure to visit here and see your lovely home. Char and I would greatly appreciate your hospitality!" I patted her arm, using a carrying voice so I could be sure Eddie and Rose would hear every word. I winked over my shoulder at Jasper and Emmett. "We were just thinking we could sure use a rest from traveling, that is, if you wouldn't mind us staying for a time, my dear?"

"Oh! Of course not!" Esme gushed. "You are always welcome, stay as long as you like."

I heard low growls from the third floor rooms and chuckled.

"Mighty kind of ya, ma'am. We might just take you up on that."

I didn't actually intend to stay any longer than it took to figure out what the hell had been going on with the human and lawbreaking, hopefully getting Jasper out of here before his tiny wife returned from Alaska to cause more difficulties. It was fun to play it up for now however.

I squeezed Char's hand, letting her know that I was just playing along and felt her relax. She wasn't comfortable around such large groups and only came because it was for Jasper. After leaving Maria, we kept mostly to ourselves for good reason. She may have only spent a year in the camps, but for a female it was a hard year. There was only so much I could do to protect her while keeping our relationship a secret.

I hated myself for it, but she forgave me. She told me time and again that if I had acted differently then neither of us would have made it out alive and we wouldn't have had all these years of happiness together. She claimed she'd do it all over again just to have me. How could I argue with that?

Even with her assurances that she didn't regret our past, it didn't stop her anxiety at being around so many unfamiliar vampires. I probably should have helped her get over her fears and acclimated us to groups, but barring the Volturi there weren't a lot of options around and I was much happier just basking in solitude with my mate. Most vampires were solitary or traveled with a mate or companion. It was just as common to find a third or even a pair of mates traveling together as a coven. The Cullens were abnormally large at seven, the largest coven besides the Volturi themselves.

Even in the south, there would only be between one and four permanent members of a coven. The newborns were not considered members, more like assets to be used and disposed of. It was rare for one of the chattel to become a coven member like I had done when Jasper saved me, bringing our numbers up to three plus another twenty-odd newborns.

I took the time to comfort my mate in the shower, making sure that after we were clean I rubbed my scent on her again before we dressed and returned to Jasper's side. I was eager to find out everything and to get him to come with us, willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.

"Captain." Jasper greeted me when I walked back into the Cullen living room. He winked at my Char and she smiled at him.

"Major." I answered back, standing straighter.

"Peter, Charlotte... what brings you to the area?" Dr. Cullen asked, interrupting our staring contest.

"I just _knew_ there was something I needed to do here." I said, inserting mystery into the word knew. I liked to play it off as some sort of gift, premonition of a sort. It wasn't nearly as much fun with the evil pixie away, but I had an image to uphold. The Cullens had no idea of my true gift, I liked to keep that information strictly need to know.

"Ah, your gift!" Carlisle's eyes gleamed. "Someday you must meet my good friend Eleazer. Perhaps he can help you expand it, use it to its full potential."

"Anything is possible, you never know." I said, noncommittally. "At any rate, I had this feeling that there was trouble. Trouble with a human."

I felt a stab of irritation from Jasper and I sent him trust and patience back. I needed the story from Carlisle first, then I'd get the right of it later. I got another stab of irritation followed by acceptance.

"Yes, there was some trouble." Carlisle paused, his gaze going to the upper floor in sadness. I wondered if Eddie had eaten some townsfolk. I had a burst of inspiration, a sure-fire way to get Carlisle to sing for me. I just hoped it wouldn't take long or Char would never forgive me.

"Perhaps you could show me and my mate what there is to eat around here Carlisle and tell me more about it? I suppose if we are to stay for any length of time we could _try_ it your way." I shot him a smile. Char stomped on my foot.

Carlisle looked excited. "Of course! That would be excellent, I have just the place in mind."

Charlotte looked ready to murder me, but I pleaded with her silently and shot looks at my sire and she gave in, allowing me to drag her out.

"You owe me." I whispered to Jasper. Causing him to laugh at me. I flipped him the finger.

Carlisle was oblivious to all of this, going on and on about the benefits of living vegetarian and how he was sure that we'd adjust given time and patience. I tuned him out, using the journey to reassure Char that I hadn't in fact lost my mind.

I followed the Doc's example and drained some sort of deer, nearly retching it back up in the process.

"I should have started with a carnivore." he muttered. "The boys always liked them better."

Charlotte at least got a black bear which smelled slightly less revolting, but it was hard to tell from the look on her face. I was pretty sure sex was out of the question for the foreseeable future for putting her through this, despite it being part of the mission to help our sire.

Once we had fed, I shuddered at the thought, it was time to get the story from the good Doctor. I told him I had to think about the diet more, but gave him enough hope to placate him for now, resisting the urge to wipe my tongue off on some leaves or spit. Char merely waited until I had Carlisle distracted before cleaning her palette.

"Tell me Carlisle, what happened with this human. I know only the basics and I'm concerned." He was still hesitant so I told him a few things I had gotten from the brief call with Jasper, not revealing my source.

He chuckled. "I should know better after living with Alice and Edward's gifts all these years. There is no point hiding things around the gifted! I suppose it won't hurt to fill you in." He then told me a tale that was almost insane. I wouldn't have believed it from anyone else.

"What of the Volturi?" I asked him, thunderstruck.

"Oh, I don't believe the dear girl will tell anyone. She knows of the Volturi and how dangerous that would be."

This keeps getting better and better. Not only was there a loose human who knew of vampires, but the fool had told her details of the royalty. I'm sure the kings would be delighted if humans stormed their castle with cameras and torches.

"I see." I said, holding in my thoughts with effort. "Still, maybe it would be a good idea to check up on things. I know you are friends with Aro, but even a good friend would want you to do your due diligence." I pretended to think on it. "Do you think Jasper could accompany us back to Forks, just to make sure things are as they should be? He could help us learn more about this new way of living on the way."

"I don't know. Jasper isn't the best example of sticking to the diet. His last mistake nearly cost dear Bella her life after all." Carlisle looked skeptical.

"Yes, but that is the beauty of it. If anyone could understand our struggle, it would be Jasper. Besides, my mate and I trust him the most out of anyone here. It would make it easier for us to learn to change." I dug deep. "I'd like to change, I think." Insert puppy dog eyes.

Carlisle caved, believing me faster than I expected. The man was living in fantasy land.

"Of course, Peter. I didn't realize, forgive me. He is your sire after all, you would want to learn from him." He grasped my hand, pulling me into a half hug. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you are willing to try." He smiled like an angel.

"We will do our best, sir." I placated, trying not to crack.

"Just make sure not to get too close, we don't want to interfere in her life any more than has already been done. Just make sure the secret is intact and that she is safe." he sighed. "Actually it is a great favor to me that you would do this. We could all use a break from Jasper's gift as well, he has been projecting more than usual and it has been a trial."

"It's no problem, we are used to his gift. We spent many years with him before he joined your... family."

Carlisle patted me on the back and gave my mate a squeeze on the shoulder before taking off to the house. I shrugged and looked at Char, a bit confused with how easy it turned out to get Jasper free. We didn't even have to pull off any heads!

As soon as we got back, Char went to our guest room and got together the few things we had unpacked while I got Jasper to get a duffle together.

"I'll explain on the way, brother." I told him when he questioned me. It was a testament to how beaten down he was that he didn't demand answers, following me almost meekly. The whole process took just a few minutes, during which Carlisle was too busy talking about his success at converting us into veggies to go into the rest of our conversation.

"We'll call you from the road!" I called out, dragging my mate and brother away before the rest of the Cullens could object to our destination. We ran straight through to New York City, deciding to find a real meal there. I felt like I still had fur stuck in my teeth.

"Ugh... Major how do you get the fluff out of your teeth? That was absolutely rank. Never again, not even for your sake!" I complained.

He laughed at me and told me that I needed to flood my mouth with venom, it would dissolve. "Make sure to spit the hair out though, you don't want to swallow that stuff. End up like a cat with a hairball."

My eyes bugged and he almost hit a tree from laughing at me.

"So where are we going?"

"To get a real meal first, you interested?"

"Might be, depends where else."

"After that, we go to Forks via a flight to Seattle." I scowled. "Not like you to leave lose ends."

"Bella isn't just a lose end, I can't even explain it. The girl is special somehow." he said, shocking me.

"Well either way, we can't let her wander around on her lonesome. Seems to me from what the Doc said, the girl gets herself into a lot of trouble for a human."

"You don't know the half of it." Jasper muttered.

"So tell me brother." I shot him a look.

"Not yet, but I will."

I nodded. "Fair enough, I can wait. How about instead you tell me what has had you tied up in knots then? I could feel it from Montana. How is it you were feeling worse with the Cullens than you were with that crazy bitch Maria?"

"I don't even know how it happened. I guess it was so slow, by the time I realized it, I just didn't care anymore. Alice just controls everything and I let her, I have to, she's my mate." he sounded so defeated it hurt.

"Mate? Who told you that? Alice?" I snorted. "If she was really your mate, she wouldn't be off in Alaska right now with you sitting at home all tore up about your human pet. The pull wouldn't let her go."

"Second time you mentioned the pull now Peter. Explain yourself."

"Don't you know nothing about mates? The pull! The draw, the string that ties you together. If you don't feel it, it's cause it isn't there to begin with. Alice isn't your mate Major, same as Maria never was. She's been lying to you, controlling you, manipulating you for sixty years. You've been the Cullens very own guard dog, keeping the bad vampires away so they could play house."

"I don't believe it."

"Oh, believe it! You've been her personal Ken doll, or maybe GI Joe is more apt a description." I growled. "This here, this is a rescue mission. I've always had your back and I always will Major. Believe it. I don't want or need anything from you but your friendship and I never will." I punched his shoulder and grabbed my mates hand tightly as we approached the city.

I offered to take him with us on our hunt, but Jasper had a lot to think about and decided to stay near the airport and wait. Sensing he would do just that, Char and I found some shady characters that wouldn't be missed and were back in a few hours. It was a relief to get that taste out of our mouths and our eyes back to the normal deep crimson color they had been for almost as long as I could recall.

We hopped a non-stop flight to Seattle, riding first class for the extra privacy and Jasper filled us in on how things had been for the last decade we had been out of contact. Things were worse than I thought and now that he was with us he was actually examining things with his whole mind for once.

"Your lawyer in Seattle?"

"Yep."

"Get him on your finances then. Don't want that little demon cleaning you out when she gets word you left town."

"Good idea. I kept most of it hidden from her anyhow. I'm not nearly the idiot I've appeared to be."

"Could have fooled me!" I joked.

He sent me his amusement, so I knew he wasn't offended.

"As for Alice and the Cullens, I want to sever ties with them in person. I owe them that much. It hasn't been all bad, and I'd hate to burn my bridges there. Especially with Emmett. He at least deserves to understand why I'm leaving."

"I feel bad for the big guy. You sure that he's really mated to the blonde?"

"I thought so, but it seems I'm the last person to judge." he said ruefully.

"Right, well we can get a hotel room in Seattle first to deal with the lawyer. Then head to Forks to check on the human girl when that is all sorted. We call in every few days with the Doctor and report all is well on our cross country run, make sure we are ahead of any trouble."

"Good plan. Should work as long as Alice isn't looking for anything specific. As soon as she hears she might start checking and that will throw everything up in the air." Jasper said.

"Can't be helped." I nodded. "At least we have a head start."

It took almost a week for Jasper to finalize his legal situation. Instead of the hassle of a divorce, he just had Jasper Hale declared dead and reverted to using his true name Jasper Whitlock. It would make things easier in the end if Alice tried to fight him on it and Hale was now a penniless bastard. Anything that was in both their names, Jasper left in just hers which I thought was generous of him.

We decided to stay in the Cullen's Forks house and pick up the things Jasper had wanted and had been forced to leave behind in the process. His guitar, his motorcycle, his pickup, his restored civil war uniform, a few things that had meant something to him over the years. Not a lot, just enough to fill a box.

Char and I hunted in Seattle before leaving but Jasper decided to stay with the wildlife for now.

"I would like to speak with Bella if I get a chance." he explained. "To tell her I'm sorry, to explain myself. I don't want to frighten her with my eyes."

"Is that the real reason you are staying veggie brother?"

"Mostly. I won't lie and say it's not a relief to feel nothing from my prey, and I probably will feed on some of both in the future." he paused. "Just not yet. I can't face her with red eyes, not when I need her forgiveness."

I wanted to tell him that if this girl was worth it, she'd forgive him any wrong he did, no matter his eye color, but he seemed so fragile I held my tongue. I sent him a wave of support and brotherly love instead.

Char and I hung back as we ran from Seattle to Forks, letting Jasper hunt ahead of us. She had been quiet most of the trip. My mate had never bonded with Jasper like I had, never getting past seeing him as Maria's Major. She accepted him as our coven leader, and as my brother, but that was all. She'd fight for him but she didn't love him like I did. It saddened me and I hoped one day she could see past his shell.

He did care about her, but in a way that she was an extension of me. If it wasn't for me, she would have been culled with the rest without a second thought. I knew he would die for her, but for my sake, not for hers. Maybe things would be different if we had stuck together for the last sixty years. Not for the first time, I wondered if I had made the biggest mistake of my life letting him go with Alice. I saw hope in his eyes though, and I couldn't deny him the chance to explore it.

"Charlotte, sugar, tell me you're okay with this." I held her close, purring softly to comfort her.

"You know I am. I'm sorry to worry you." she sighed. "I'm actually really happy to see you with your brother again."

"But?" I asked.

"Not really a 'but'. I just have a feeling things are going to change."

"Change can be good, you know."

She smiled up at me, kissing my jaw.

A whistle ahead broke the moment and we ran to catch up. Jasper had finished hunting and we ran together toward the Cullen place. As we got closer, we started picking up fresh vampire scents and slowed.

"I got three of them, fresh." I said quietly. "Anyone you know?"

Jasper sniffed the ground carefully. "Yeah, Eleazer Denali, his mate Carmen and Laurent of James' former coven." he straightened. "Can you cover us? I don't know why they would be here. Last time I called Carlisle he didn't seem suspicious."

"Yeah, we'll go in quiet, see what we can find out." I nodded. "Char and I will stay out of sight unless you need us Major. No need to tip our hand unless there are more than the three of them."

I was confident that my brother could handle three vampires with ease and being that his eyes were still golden it wouldn't set off any alarms with the veggies from Alaska. This Laurent fellow was a wildcard though and I didn't like it. Even without a Cullen living there, it was bad manners for someone to be in their home uninvited.

"What's the range on Denali's gift?" I asked, not wanting him poking around, revealing my secrets.

"He has to be looking at you, eye contact helps." Jasper answered. "If he doesn't know you're here, he won't be able to read you."

"Good." I snorted.

I reduced my scent, extending the ability to my coven was a tricky thing requiring a great deal of concentration. I could only do it for a short time, but we only needed it for a little ways.

Once we were in hearing range we slowed and listened in to the conversation. The entire back wall of the Cullen place was glass, so I could see the vampires clearly as they tidied up the downstairs, removing dust and airing out the rooms.

"Laurent, you didn't tell me this girl who needed help was a human!" Eleazer said, surprised.

"Yes, my friend, she is quite extraordinary however. You may have already heard of her. She was Edward Cullen's pet for a while before they abandoned her. Quite a pity and quite illegal. I have agreed to assist her, the law must be upheld as your coven learned the hard way long ago." The vampire, Laurent, replied.

"I was most upset to learn Carlisle left the girl. I was considering doing something about it myself. I was torn between my loyalties however, and I hadn't broken any laws personally."

"The Volturi don't often make allowances for technicalities, you know this."

Eleazer nodded, but didn't speak.

"The girl seems willing to be changed, and willing to go to Voltera to attest to her transformation in person. Normally this would implicate the Cullen coven and all who knew of her and didn't act, but she displays remarkable talents for a human. That is where you come in."

"You think she is gifted then. That could very well change things."

"Yes, she has the ability already to block Edward's mind reading."

"As a human? Remarkable. That amount of latent talent is indeed incredible. I will meet her if she is willing."

Jasper got my attention and whispered to me, "She deflected my power on a few occasions as well."

My eyes widened. Impressive, this certainly wasn't some measly human the Major got involved with. She was a force to be reckoned with. I'd never seen anyone resist the Major, not even myself and I was very familiar with how his gift worked.

"The protectors of this region want to discuss it first, Bella said she'll come here after meeting with them and let us know how it went. It shouldn't be long until she comes here to work on her gift."

"Protectors?" Eleazer asked.

"The less you know, the less you have to worry about."

Eleazer accepted that, nodding. "Carmen and I will get some human food for the kitchen while you finish cleaning up the house then. I want her to feel comfortable while we work. It can be a difficult process if her gift has an active component to it."

Jasper tapped Char and I on the shoulder and we melted back into the forest, running until we were well out of range.

"That was interesting," I said when we were away from detection. I let my scent come back, sighing in relief.

"Very. Laurent was smart to keep the wolves out of this. It seems they have quite the scheme going, I'm not sure I like where it's heading." Jasper said, thinking hard.

"Wolves? Fill me in."

"Shape shifters, not werewolves. There were just a few at first, but likely more by now. The size of horses, mean as hell and able to kill vampires. They claim this region by birthright, attacking red eyed vampires on sight and killing them."

Char hid behind me.

"Don't worry sugar, I've got ya." I soothed.

"They hold their meetings on the beach at La Push. It seems Bella is going along with a plan to become a vampire, most likely to save the Cullens from the Volturi and possibly the wolves as well. I don't know what their angle is, but I'll find out." Jasper growled nodding his head toward the house.

"What do you need us to do?" I asked, a bit worried at the thought of a pack of wolves coming after my mate.

"You two need to stay in Seattle. I'm going to say hello to the dogs at their meeting and find out what Bella is really up to."

"Umm... didn't you say these wolves kill vampires?" I asked. Perhaps the veggie diet caused insanity.

"They do, but I'm Major Jasper Whitlock." he grinned.

I sighed, knowing there was little point to arguing with him.

"Just help me get my bike before you go. I might need normal transportation."

I covered our scent again and we silently went in, removing the ride from the garage without alerting the vampires in the house before splitting up.


	7. Chapter 7

**(Bella)**

At dusk the meeting would start. The guys had prepared by dragging a massive pile of firewood onto the beach and arranged large driftwood logs in a circle around the stone pit to serve as seating. All the attendees brought something with them, a side dish or some drinks. The council had a fund that paid for the meat that would roasted on large grills.

I made a huge tub of potato salad and picked up a couple different kinds of soda. Emily was making brownies with fudge frosting and bringing beer since Sam was over the legal age to purchase it. I knew some of the guys would be drinking but I figured they all looked the part and as long as no one went crazy with it, it was no big deal. After all, they were supernatural warriors, fighting vampires for the lives of those around them. Who was I to argue the dangers of underage drinking?

Sam and Emily had taken my advice and talked to Leah about everything. She wasn't 100% okay with things, but after learning that the stories about spirit wolves and cold ones were real, that imprinting could and did happen, she was trying to understand. She was coming to the meeting tonight and trying to forgive her once best friend Emily and former fiance for betraying her. I was glad to see it, although it looked like it would take some time for her to heal.

"Hey Bella." She called me over to where she was loading a cooler with drinks. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"Oh, for what?"

"Sam and Emily told me it was you that got them to break the rules and let me in on the secret. I am not okay with everything yet, but I think I will be now. And without you pushing for me, I think I would have gotten bitter from the isolation I was feeling." she hugged me. "So thank you."

"You're welcome, Leah." I smiled at her. "I know what it's like to be lied to, you didn't deserve that. Don't be mad at them for too long, they're good people." I nudged her shoulder and we joined the gathering.

The tribe elders sat in a semi-circle, Billy in the middle on one side of the fire. The wolves sat on the other, Sam in the middle with Jake on his right. The imprints and guests like myself filled in the sides, listening as the stories were told. Billy told the stories for the most part, but Sam told some as well. The ones Sam told were of the recent events like the battles with Victoria and the encounters with James. I was shocked when I was included in their lore.

When the stories were done, it was time to attend to business. Sam spoke of the danger the Volturi posed to the tribe, the hatred Caius had for wolves and how he would kill every man, woman, and child if he found out about them.

"We must not allow the Italian vampires to know of us, to come to our lands. They are more than we can fight off, no matter how many of our sons find their spirit wolves, I fear it won't be enough to save our village." Sam said.

"How will we keep them from learning of us?" Billy asked. The process of the meeting almost seemed scripted, but that was the way things were done. It was like a soap opera.

"The cold one that killed the red-headed demon came to us in good faith. He brought with him the ashes of our enemy!" Sam tossed the leather bag to the elders. "He has a plan, but it is one that carries a price that may be too high to pay."

Murmurs rose among everyone and I looked around quickly, not sure if I should speak up. Billy allowed the ashes to pour into the fire in front of everyone before dropping the bag to be consumed as well.

"Tell us of this plan so that we may judge it's cost for ourselves and decide if we can afford to pay." he said with a strong voice.

"Our friend's daughter, Bella, the one who has given us much new knowledge on how to know and defeat our enemies is not without defenses against cold ones." All eyes turned to me and I sat up straighter. "She has a power within her that can stop their tricks from effecting her, can keep them from her mind and trick them with her words."

"Tell us, Bella, would you use this power to save the Quileute people from the Volturi?" Billy asked.

"Yes, I would give my _life_ to save all of yours. In my heart, you are my people if not in my blood." I replied, earning a nod from Sam.

"What of the cost?" Harry asked. "I did not miss your words child when you said you would give your life. Surely you did not mean that your life is the cost?"

I hesitated, but Sam took over for me. I sighed gratefully.

"That is exactly the cost. In order to stop the Volturi, Bella will need to become like our enemy, to become cold and dead. She would need to make the ultimate sacrifice and travel far from her home and her father, to live among the vampires and forever keep our secret from the Kings."

A collective gasp rang out, this was _exactly_ like a soap opera. I met the gaze of the elders and stood up.

"I am willing to do this for you. I have known for a long time that my path had but one end, it's time I accepted my fate. Don't fight me on this, it's my choice to make." I tried to sound brave, but I was not as sure as I seemed.

I wondered who would do it. Laurent was kinda frightening, I had never met Eleazer before so I wasn't sure I wanted a stranger biting me. I wished Jasper could do it. Of all the vampires I knew, I felt like he was my best option. He saw that I was worth saving before I knew it myself. He was gone though, like the rest of them.

"We cannot ask this of you, but we cannot deny it either if this is what you desire Bella." Harry sounded defeated.

"The vote will be if we allow our friend's daughter to choose her own fate then." Billy said.

They passed around a bag and each council member and each wolf put in a stone. Black for no, white for yes. When it returned to Billy, he counted them out. There were only three stones in opposition and it was against tradition for anyone but me to ask who voted against me.

I decided I would prefer not to know, I had the answer I needed. The hard part would be dealing with Charlie.

Jake drove me home. Halfway there he pulled off the road, angry.

"Bella, why?"

"Jake, it was always going to come down to this. I was doomed from the start. Vampire law forbids my knowing under penalty of death or turning. I don't want to die! I can deal with being a vampire, I know I can!"

"What if I can't, Bella? Did you ever think of that?"

"Jake?" I sobbed and pulled away from him.

"I didn't mean it like that Bells." he hit the steering wheel. "God this sucks! I could protect you if you want, we can run away right now. Just you and me, no one will ever find us. I could make you happy if you let me." he grabbed my hand.

"I wish it was that simple, but we both know it isn't." I told him through my tears. It was silent for a minute and Jacob started the car again. "When it happens," I said in a soft voice, unsure I wanted to ask, "will you still want to talk to me?"

"Always Bells, always." he answered.

I smiled at him and wiped my face. "Love you Jake."

"Love you too Bells."

Jake dropped me at the end of the driveway and headed back toward home, not bothering to stop. I could tell he was upset, even though he was trying to be my friend. It couldn't be easy on him, despite his brave face. Charlie was still at work, he told me he wouldn't be home until late and not to wait up.

I let myself in the house, feeling uneasy as soon as the door shut behind me. It was like I was being watched, like I wasn't alone. I felt adrenaline course through my veins even as I tried to dismiss the feeling as a reaction from the crazy night. I stood completely still in the dark, willing my eyes to adjust. I thought I saw movement in the living room, but I couldn't be sure.

I gasped and inched back toward the door, feeling behind me for the handle.

**(Jasper)**

I stayed downwind from the meeting on the beach to avoid detection. It was unpleasant for me, since it flung the stink of the wolves into my face, but it kept them from smelling me. The open area allowed the sound to carry so I could hear everything with no difficulty even over the crashing of the waves.

The stories were interesting and explained some of the animosity the pack held toward vampires. They hadn't had very good luck in the past in dealing with our kind. The stories the Alpha wolf Sam told were much more recent, some of which even included Bella. That was a bit of a shock. I had to suppress a growl when I learned that Victoria had been trying to kill her. I told the Cullens they needed to deal with her, but no one took the threat seriously.

I owed Laurent a debt for cleaning up that mess for me. I disliked owing anyone anything as a matter of principle, so it put me in a mood. When I heard of his plan to use Bella to get the Quileutes off the hook with the Volturi I was livid. I didn't for one moment buy the story about saving the tribe. They weren't Children of the Moon so Caius shouldn't have any issues with them. Hell if it wasn't for the stink, Aro would want them as pets!

I needed to make sure to set Bella straight, even if she couldn't forgive me for attacking her. When the meeting was winding down, I made my way back to where I stashed my bike, and rode the familiar Forks streets until I arrived at Bella's house. No one was at home so I hid my ride in the brush and snuck in through an open window to wait for her.

I stayed in the living room, feeling like the intruder I was in her home without invitation. I had no idea what I was going to say to her. Coming here like this was a horrible idea. I supposed it wasn't like I could just call her on the phone or something, but I was pretty sure skulking around her darkened living room was about the worst plan I could have come up with.

It was then I heard someone approaching the door. I stood up straighter, listening as the keys jingled in the lock and the door opened. The outside light illuminated her small form which was clear as day to my enhanced vision. She closed it behind herself and froze, sensing my presence somehow. I moved closer, debating on turning on a lamp and she gasped aloud. I froze again, unsure if I should turn on the light or speak first.

Would she be any less afraid if she knew who it was that was waiting for her? I scented the air and checked that she was here alone. Whoever had dropped her off hadn't stayed. The light rain dampened my senses some, but enough for me to ensure we were the only ones here.

"Bella, don't be afraid." I said, sending out some calm as I turned on the light.

**(Bella)**

When I heard his voice I nearly jumped out of my skin. The light next to Charlie's favorite recliner clicked on a half second later revealing Jasper. I felt his gift hit me, the artificial calm soaking into me. I let it penetrate my skin like water, needing it to keep from squeaking like I'd just spotted a mouse.

"Jasper!" I yelled. "What are you doing here!"

He hadn't moved from his position, half bent over to reach the lamp. He looked a bit damp from the Forks weather, his clothes not the designer style I remembered him in. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt that fit him nicely and some faded jeans. It was a nice look for him. His hair was disheveled from the wind and his face was anxious.

"Don't be afraid Bella, I won't hurt you." he promised, moving slowly and holding out his hands. "I wanted to talk with you, please."

"I'm not afraid." I told him.

He looked confused. "No, you aren't."

We both stood there, studying each other. I didn't know what to think, I didn't expect to see a Cullen in my living room, especially not this one. I tried to keep my emotions under control, remembering his gift and not wanting him to think I was insane the way I was flipping from one to another.

He frowned again. "Don't do that darlin'."

"Do what?"

"Hide from me. I like to feel you, it's uncomfortable when you hide what you're feeling from me."

"Oh." I said. I let up a bit, I was more in control of myself now anyhow. Hearing him call me _darlin'_ was interesting. I hadn't noticed his southern accent before, hadn't spoken to him enough to note it.

I realized I probably smelled like wolf and remembering how much it bothered the Cullens, I started up the stairs to shower.

"Where are you going?" he asked, zooming to the bottom of the stairs.

"To shower. You can wait in my room if you like."

"Oh, alright." he said, looking thoroughly confused.

I grabbed some clothes, leaving him standing awkwardly in my room. I felt smug to have a vampire on the back-foot for a change. Usually it was them leaving me flustered. I took my time getting clean, making sure to remove all traces of wolf stench. Partly I was delaying so that I could process my thoughts as well.

Jasper was waiting in my room. He wanted to talk to me. Why now? Why him? What did he have to say to me? I couldn't figure it. Pulling a brush through my hair, I cleaned my teeth quickly and headed to bed. I shut my bedroom door, taking in the sight of the blonde vampire before turning out the light and climbing into bed.

"Charlie will be home soon. He'll probably look in on me, so when he peeks in, hide." I told him. "He won't linger, so don't worry."

"Okay." Jasper was still standing in the middle of the room.

I patted the end of my bed. "Sit, you're making me nervous standing there."

He looked at the bed as if it would bite him, but complied.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" I prompted.

"Bella, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I need to apologize for my actions on your birthday. I won't make excuses, you shouldn't have had to feel threatened somewhere that should have been safe to you. I truly am a monster and I will do anything you ask of me in penance, just name it." he hung his head, looking as if he expected me to reject him, to kick him out and demand he never return.

"Jasper, there is nothing you can do. Nothing you need to do. I never blamed you, if anything it was my own fault for being so clumsy. It was a natural reaction and besides, you didn't lose control. I was watching you, you didn't lose it. You looked more afraid than anything else." I took his hand, causing him to tense up for a moment. "If you need to hear the words, then you are forgiven, but know this: There is _nothing_ to forgive!"

He seemed to deflate a little as I spoke, as if he had been holding a world's worth of tension inside and he had finally let it go.

"Thank you Bella. You are truly the most beautiful person I know." he raised my hand to his lips, kissing my palm lightly.

"Edward on the other hand," I continued, "he did scare me that night. Maybe it was a good thing he broke my heart soon after." I felt an echo of the hole in my chest break through and Jasper gasped. "Sorry, didn't mean for you to feel that." I muttered, pulling my hand free.

"I have another thing to confess, Bella." he went on. "I was listening at the tribal meeting tonight. I know of your plans and that Eleazer and Laurent are involved."

I didn't deny it, staring into his golden eyes and waiting for him to go on.

"I don't know if you should trust them, I don't think the Quileutes are in the kind of danger you seem to think they are. However _you_ are in a lot of danger. But you have options, I can give you options if you trust me to."

"You've never lied to me before, but I'd like to know more about your first. Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine." I told him.

He agreed and I settled in more comfortably. He told me his history, every detail that Edward would have hidden. Every detail that he was ashamed of. The only time he stopped was to hide in my closet when Charlie poked his head in to check that I was in bed.

His voice, though perfect like every other vampire's I'd ever heard had a sort of gravely quality to it. His accent only added to its attraction, though it was deep and southern it didn't make him sound any less. If anything, it made his words sound more genuine, as if they came from deep within his soul. I was sure I'd have noticed it before now.

"Jasper?" I interrupted sleepily.

"Yes?"

"Did you hide your accent before?" I asked. "I never noticed it, but I think I should have."

"I can if you would like. The Cullens asked me to, it made it easier to blend in if I didn't have one."

"I like it." I admitted. "Don't hide from me either."

He nodded, a slight smile on his face and continued to talk. Sometime after 3am, I fell asleep. When I woke, it was nearly noon. Charlie had already left for work long ago. Jasper was sitting on the floor beside my bed, his curly mop just visible.

"Good morning." I mumbled.

"Mornin' darlin'. Shall I meet you downstairs to continue our chat?" he asked?

I was relieved he was still talkative and agreed. I rushed through getting dressed and stumbled down the stairs to find him waiting in the kitchen for me.

"I would have made you food, but I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to begin." he said, dipping his head in a way that made him seem embarrassed.

"Glad you know your limitations." I said, having a piece of toast and some juice. "Do you have a car? I wanted to get a phone today."

"I have a motorcycle, do you ride?" he asked.

Unexpected, but fitting. I simply nodded, getting my helmet and jacket from the hall closet and picking up my purse. Charlie hated that Jake and I had taken up motorcycles. He tried forbidding me from riding, but I pulled the eighteen card on him. He resorted to gross pictures of accidents after that and I responded by taking him with me when I bought my top-of-the-line helmet.

"We can talk more later, I want to get this out of the way." I put on my jacket and helmet, doing up the zipper loudly before turning around to face Jasper. His expression was one of absolute shock. "What?" I asked, my voice a bit muffled by my headgear.

"Wow." he stumbled for words a bit. "I just never expected to see Bella Swan in biker gear. It suits you." he grinned.

"Well, Jasper Hale, there is a lot you don't know about me." I retorted.

"It's Whitlock darlin', Jasper Whitlock." he said, stalking closer as he spoke. He was an inch from me when he paused, reaching around me to open the front door. "After you."

I was in a state of shock for a few seconds. I don't even think he was projecting, it was all natural charm, but he was still incredible. "Stupid sexy vampires." I mumbled knowing full well he'd hear it, but there was no hiding my response anyhow. Might as well admit it. I walked out into the bright overcast morning. I didn't see a bike anywhere.

Jasper must have felt my confusion because he chuckled. "I hid it. I figured your father would ask questions if a strange bike showed up in the driveway." He walked off into the forest, returning in a few moments carrying a drool worthy piece of machinery and setting it down in front of me. He swung himself onto the seat and leaned back, shooting me a grin.

"You said you wanted a ride, sweetness, so hop on." his tone was teasing, but infectious.

"I may have to steal your bike and leave you here." I said, stroking the midnight blue paint.

"I'd fight you for it." he growled playfully.

"I might take my chances anyhow." I mock growled before sliding on behind him. "I kinda want to splurge on a phone, get something fancy enough to last me a while, able to do email and stuff. I figure I'll be on the run for a bit, so it will be my only way to get ahold of Charlie and the pack."

"Phones like that can be tracked. It is a good idea, but you're better off going with simple and using other methods of contact. Let me handle it? I'll make sure you can get messages through that are safe."

I thought about it, deciding that I would defer to his experience. I wrapped my arms around him, leaning in. "Okay." I said. "Let's go."

He drove fast, but on a bike like this it would be a crime to go slow. I felt so free, I wondered what it felt like to him with his gift. In no time we were in Port Angeles and he was showing me the best phones to get.

Instead of the main carriers, he directed me toward prepaid phones. He explained how these were harder to trace and easier to use false information to obtain. I picked one out and paid for it. Surprisingly he didn't argue with me about spending money or try to buy me the most expensive phone in the store. I really appreciated that.

"May I give you my number Bella?" he asked.

"I insist." I said, reaching for my new phone to hand it to him. Just as I picked it up, it started to ring. I stared at it confused.

"Sorry, I saw your number when the phone was being activated." he said. "I should give you Peter and Charlotte's number's as well. They are waiting in Seattle."

"Ah, months with no vampires except for those trying to kill me, now I have all kinds of vamps trying to give me their digits. When it rains, it pours." I joked.

He took the phone from me, programming in phone numbers at lightning speed.

"I'd better finish my story fast, I'm dying to hear about Victoria." Jasper said, looking aggravated. He finished with my phone and hesitated. "Do you want any of the Cullens numbers? I don't think it's safe to call them right now, but I won't keep you from them if that's what you want."

He looked scared of my answer, so I put my hand on his arm. "I would like Emmett's number, but I won't call him unless it's an emergency or it's safe again." I reassured him. I wasn't really all that clear on what safe meant in this context, but it seemed to make Jasper feel better. He handed me my phone back in a few more seconds.

"So let's go somewhere we can sit for a while, maybe get some lunch. You can finish your story." The single piece of toast I grabbed wasn't cutting it for me, I was hungry already.

We settled on a small diner off the touristy part of town with few patrons in it. We got a booth around the corner from the main seating area and sat side by side so that Jasper could speak softly without worry of being overheard. I was sure it looked cozy to an outside perspective, but it didn't matter. I ordered a large salad for myself and a club sandwich with fries for Jasper as well as a couple of cokes.

When the waitress left I whispered for him to continue. We hung out in the diner for close to two hours, whispering to each other in our booth. The staff probably thought us in love as Jasper told me of the horrors of his past and how he was saved by Peter. How he met Alice and came to be controlled by her. How he finally was saved again just recently by his only true friend in the world.

I told him how glad I was that he had Peter and that I wanted to meet him soon.

"You realize he is a human drinker?" Jasper asked me.

"I figured he was, is that a problem?" I asked back, slightly offended.

"No, I suppose it isn't." he dipped his head. "I'm sorry."

"Diet doesn't bother me as much as you seem to think. A vampire drinks blood, that is how it is. I'd prefer it if he was... _selective_." I trailed off. "But I can't even judge that really. I'm not exactly selective when I eat either. I eat what tastes good to me, not what is kindest to my prey."

"But you're human. Doesn't it bother you to know that my brother kills and drinks your kind?"

"It probably should, but then, I don't expect I'll be human all that much longer. I don't think I'll be the type that goes around killing innocent people, but I can't imagine going veggie either. I guess I don't know what to expect, so I'm trying not to set goals for myself that I can't reach."

"Peter and Charlotte are usually selective in who they pick. It isn't for altruistic reasons, but for convenience. Certain types of people are not looked for if they go missing. It makes it easier to avoid detection if you stick with those types. Occasionally they will find someone that is particularly appealing and will make an exception, but as far as I know, it is rare. I haven't been with them for a long time so I'm not up to date on their hunting practices.

"They invited me to join them, hunting humans. I didn't go because I was afraid you wouldn't speak to me if I showed up with red eyes. I'm sorry, I should have had more faith in you." He said softly, leaning his head against mine, his eyes searching mine carefully.

"We hardly knew each other Jasper. We'll get there eventually." I told him, keeping my gaze locked on his.

"I hope so." He said seriously.

I started to feel guilty about the charade we were acting out for the strangers in the diner. As domineering as Alice was, she was still Jasper's wife. Here I was, holding his hand and whispering in his ear, staring into his eyes. She thought of me as her best friend at one point, I didn't doubt that, no matter how messed up things had gotten.

"Jasper," I began, "are you really done with the Cullens? With Alice?" I asked, hesitant.

"I still have to go back, to let them know I am officially leaving their coven, but yes I am. Before I came to Forks, we were in Seattle with my lawyer." He told me. "I've taken care of most of it, but Alice doesn't know yet unless she's had a vision. I don't think she has or I'm sure I'd have gotten a call about it.

"I've only recently realized that she has been lying to me for years, telling me that we were mates. I guess I have always known we weren't but I wanted to believe her so much that I let myself go along with it. I was so lonely when I met her, so broken and lost... I needed something to believe in and she was there. She helped me, but it wasn't without a price. I just can't pay it anymore."

"So you are getting a divorce?" I squeezed his hand, encouraging him to continue.

"Actually," he laughed. "I just had Jasper Hale declared dead."

"Wow, so she's a widow." I raised an eyebrow.

"In a way, I suppose so. Legalities get a bit blurry when you're as old as I am." he joked.

I wasn't ready to talk about the Cullens in a public setting yet, afraid I'd lose it and make a scene. It was getting late, time to head home and give him my story. At home if I had to cry at least no one would stare at me.

"Take me home, I have a story to tell you this time." I said, getting up. He paid half the bill which I wanted to argue about, but decided to let go since it fit in well with the act we were putting on. Besides it was a very modern thing for him to do, something no old-fashioned man would dream of doing. It indicated he would like to take care of me, but respected my boundaries, so I let him have his way on it, sending him only a bit of mild annoyance.

After a quick trip to the restrooms, we were headed back home.


	8. Chapter 8

**(Jasper)**

The last day had been completely different to how I expected it to be. Bella not only forgave me, but hadn't blamed me at all. All these months Edward had been telling me how much I scared her, how she agreed with him to end their relationship because of how dangerous she saw it was being around the family, around me...

The few things she had said so far already indicated that was false, but we hadn't gone into it yet.

I wasn't willing to push her. If she wanted my story first, then she would have it. Even if after hearing it she decided never to speak to me again. I would not, could not, demand anything of the girl. She had been through more than any human should have to endure already.

While she slept, I made a quiet call to Peter.

"Major?" he answered, concern in his tone. When he last spoke to me I had implied I was going to crash a werewolf meeting.

"Peter, all is well here. I'm with Bella, she's asleep right now." I kept my voice low.

"The wolves?"

"I stayed out of sight."

"I didn't think you capable of discretion." he laughed. "Don't tell me you're getting soft?"

"Not even a little bit." I joked back. "I'll keep you updated, just stay where you are for now."

"Will do."

I hung up and allowed myself to relax, just taking in the emotional climate of the house. With only the two sleeping humans around it was as close to peace as I had felt in a while and I was soaking it in while I could.

Charlie left early, but didn't come to check on Bella again so I remained where I had settled on the floor next to her bed. I didn't feel right about remaining on her bed while she slept, even though she had invited me there. It was far too intimate for our relationship and the gentleman in me was bothered enough being alone in a lady's bedroom.

When she finally woke she made it clear that she had things to do. I wondered why she wasn't in school, but figured if it was a problem, she would bring it up. I resolved not to interfere unless she asked it of me or unless there was an immediate danger. When she asked me for transport, I wished had taken the time to get my truck instead of my bike.

When she pulled riding gear out, I decided that the bike was the best idea I ever had. Bella looked amazing in jeans and leather, nothing like the good little girl she acted around Edward. I struggled to contain my emotions as I took her in, her helmet hiding her face from me. I flirted with her, and she gave it right back at me.

I almost fell down the steps when she called me sexy under her breath. I most definitely didn't know enough about her before. I don't think any of the Cullens knew her, not like this.

The ride to Port Angeles was too short. I had never had a human on the back of my bike before and the heat that radiated over my entire back and outer thighs was indescribable. Pure heaven. Her emotions were enough to make me want to moan aloud. I was sure my smile was showing far too many teeth to make a human comfortable, but I couldn't help it.

She allowed my advice when picking out a phone and we went to a small restaurant to continue my story from where we left off. She slid in next to me in the booth, which surprised me. I didn't think she would want to be so close to me both because of what I was and because I was sure it would cause her embarrassment when people assumed we were more than friends.

She leaned close to me, her breath fanning against my neck as she whispered her reasoning. I tested her emotions and found that she was calm, so I buried my own trepidation. As I expected, the woman who came to take our order was quite obvious, going so far as to call us "cute" together.

Bella took it in stride, linking our hands together as she ordered us both a meal, acting as if she had much practice with it. Not a hint of her usual blushing or any other outward sign of discomfort. I hoped I could ask her about this later, curious what could have changed so much in such a short time. I was afraid to find out.

I found myself enjoying spending time with her, even under all the pretense. We were there to talk about my past and were putting on a show of intimacy for the humans, but it felt right. I wanted to do it again sometime, without the act. I wondered if it would feel different. If Bella would ever consider me like that.

I was surprised I was having these feelings toward her at all, I had never felt more than fascination toward her in the past. Protectiveness, there was that too. Suddenly, I wanted more. Perhaps it was a by-product of sharing so much of my past with her. Peter knew most of it because he lived it with me. Alice knew some of it, but was too repulsed by it to want to know the details. Edward knew bits and pieces, but only because he pulled them from my mind without my consent.

Bella seemed to instinctually trade emotions with me like Peter and I have always done. It helped to ground me, keep me from becoming too involved in what I was reliving as I told it to her. As I recounted my time with the Cullens, I felt like I was coming to terms with some hard facts. I had been used, manipulated, and controlled.

"I know Jasper, I was too." she whispered to me when I voiced the thought.

When I saw how well she took discussing diets, I even admitted to her that my many slips over the years with the Cullens were less than accidental. She wasn't happy about it, but she accepted it. When I explained how the thirst from the others made me almost need the break that only human blood provided from the thirst, she seemed understanding. I was shocked, to say the least.

She asked me about my current relationship with Alice and the Cullens as well and I was glad the three of us had gone to Seattle first to visit with the lawyer. It would have felt wrong to be here with Bella, on a mock-date, if I was still married to Alice. I guess it was splitting hairs since Alice didn't know I had ended things, but in my mind, it was over. The marriage was a lie by necessity anyhow. Jasper Hale never existed anywhere but on paper, and now he didn't exist at all. Still, I needed to tell Alice soon, it wasn't right to leave loose ends.

When I finished my story, she squeezed my hand and we left the diner. I split the bill with her, causing a spike in annoyance from her, but she didn't argue. I would have paid for the entire thing, but memories of her anger at Edward doing just that made me think this would be better received.

The ride back to her house was even more amazing than the ride out. I felt so much more connected to her after our talk. I wished my vampire senses allowed me to drive with my eyes closed, just basking in her emotions. Instead I focused carefully on the road, keeping the speed just barely above the limit.

I hid the bike again and entered her home through the front door. She led me to her room, fiddling with her phone along the way.

"Jasper, do you have Eleazer's number?" she asked.

"I do." I was anxious. He was at the Cullen house with Laurent now, what if Bella wanted to go to him?

"I was supposed to go meet with him soon. I'd rather just call him and put him off for a little while. I promised you a story, after all." she smiled at me.

I took her phone from her, putting in the number.

"Thanks." she winked at me, dialing.

The phone rang once before a cautious sounding Eleazer answered.

"Eleazer?" she asked.

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"This is Bella. You are staying at the Cullen house? I just wanted to let you know that I will be coming to visit you in a few days, but I have company so it won't be right away."

"Oh, Bella!" he exclaimed. "It is nice to hear from you. I will wait, please come when it is convenient."

"I'll be in touch." Bella told him, hanging up.

She tossed the phone on to her bed. "I like to keep the vamps in my life wanting more." she giggled.

"Especially me?" I raised an eyebrow.

Instead of taking the bait, she led me to the bed and pulled me down with her. She untied my boots, pulling them off and tucking them under the edge of the bed. Her own footwear followed. She then sat cross-legged on the bed, waving at me to copy her.

"This would have been easier if you had showed up last week. I spilled my guts to the pack about all this. I'm a bit nervous about doing it again." She bit her lip. "If I get upset, feel free to help me, okay?"

"I can do that, darlin'." I nodded, encouraging her to start.

She didn't start with Edward leaving, or even the birthday party like I had expected. She started with the first day she saw us in the school cafeteria. I ended up being glad she did, her views on the family and her thoughts on the entire situation were interesting.

After a short time, she seemed to go into a trance, almost ignoring my presence in the room. She talked about my involvement like I wasn't there, honestly and without reservation. The emotions she threw off were so pure and innocent, they would have stopped my heart if it was possible.

Hearing what she thought of me all along, the longing she felt to get to know me matched my own so well it ached. I wanted that too, I wished I had been brave enough to go against Alice and had acted on my impulses. It would have changed so much, but it would have been worth it. She was worth it.

By the time we had gotten to the birthday party, she was shaking. I stopped her, breaking her from her dialogue.

"Bella, you don't have to tell me that part. We covered that already sugar. I know how you feel about that." I reached forward and took her hand.

"Jasper, it's okay. I need to get it out. Jake was right, I need to talk about it. I was letting it eat me up inside for too long."

At the mention of the boy Jake, I felt some jealousy. I had limited dealings with him myself, but I knew that Edward saw him as a rival. I wondered how close they had become after the family left.

"How about a little break then. Maybe some water?"

She nodded and got up, groaning from sitting still too long.

"That's something I won't miss." She said stretching her stiff muscles. "When I'm a vampire I mean. You can stay in one spot forever without getting stiff."

I shrugged. "I suppose, but then, I miss a good stretch sometimes. It isn't the same when you don't _need_ to do it."

"Grass is always greener." she mumbled.

I followed Bella downstairs while she got a drink of water. She had brought her new phone with her and as she sat at the table programmed in several numbers from memory.

Dialing one, she whispered to me that she was checking in. I sent her some confusion and she just shook her head at me as it rang.

"Yo." A male voice answered.

"Hey Jake, it's me."

"Bells, you got a new phone?"

"Yep! I forgot to ask, the pack is doing patrols around my house tonight, right?"

"Yeah. Dad was missing you today. He said he's going to starve to death if you don't come over again soon."

Bella laughed.

"I'm sure he'll survive one day on his own." She rolled her eyes. "I wanted to let you know, I have a cold one staying here. Don't freak out if you smell him."

She held the phone away from her face, preemptively.

"WHAT?" Jacob screamed.

"Jake..." she said, still holding the phone away.

"Bella, I swear to God! Which one is it? At your house? Is Charlie in danger? I'm coming over!"

"Jake, listen to me first." Bella returned the phone to her head.

"Why bother, you'll just do what you want anyway. You always do! Damn it Bella!" He was calming down some.

"Jake, I'm safe. I promise. I will come over tomorrow and make that lasagna I promised Billy. Tonight I have to talk to this one, then day after tomorrow I'm going to the Cullen house to work on my gift."

"Who's at your house now? Please tell me it isn't the red eyed one."

"No, it isn't. Just don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow. I just didn't want you to freak out if you smelt something off."

"Fine Bella. You better be right about this."

"I'm always right Jake, you know that."

"Sure, sure." he huffed. "I'll forgive you if you make extra lasagna."

"I always do." She rolled her eyes. "Love you Jake, talk to you tomorrow."

"Love you too Bells."

Bella hung up the phone. I kept my eyes on the table top, my fears confirmed. Bella had feelings for the young wolf, I could feel her affection for him and it hurt. She said she loved him. He cared about her enough to trust her, even with me.

I couldn't move, there was an aching pain in my chest like someone punched a hole in it. I didn't even notice when Bella touched my hand at first. Eventually the firm pressure of her fingers stroking the top of my clenched fist registered and I relaxed my grip.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"Nothing really." I said sadly. "I guess I was just thinking things I hadn't a right to be thinking about."

I stood up and walked toward the stairs. "I'll wait for your return upstairs, if that is alright with you?"

She nodded and I walked up the stairs and sat on her bed. I could feel her confusion and concern still, but I tried to tune it out. I leaned back against the headboard, just listening as she moved around the house. It sounded like she was preparing food and cleaning. I tried to picture what was happening by sound and scent alone, anything to keep my own thoughts at bay.

I didn't have a right to feel like this anyhow. Bella wasn't mine, I didn't have a claim on her. Did I even want that? God, I had only just gotten away from Alice! I shouldn't care if she was with that dog. What business was it of mine? Still, I couldn't help but feel like I should fight for her, convince her that I would be a better option. I wished I had more to offer.

I closed my eyes after a while, pretending sleep. Charlie came home from work, they had dinner and talked, mostly about Charlie's day. Bella mentioned she got a ride to Port Angeles and bought a new phone, but didn't mention me. It was probably a good thing, I was sure Mr. Swan wouldn't react well knowing I was here, hiding in his daughter's room.

She lingered downstairs for a while longer, keeping him company while he watched basketball on television. I could feel she wasn't interested, but she loved her father and enjoyed spending time with him. From time to time she asked questions and he emitted pride as he explained the nuances of the sport to her. When her patience ran out, I heard her get up and tell him goodnight.

I cracked my eyes open, feeling much more relaxed than I had been after her call to her friend. Boyfriend? I pushed the thought away again, holding onto the peace I had managed to cultivate. She smiled at me sadly, emanating confusion and got clothes, quickly escaping to the bathroom, leaving me alone again.

I focused on the sound of the game instead of listening to her in the shower. Charlie's emotions were pleasant enough to follow as he spectated. He was immersed in the action, allowing me to forget my surroundings easily and enjoy it vicariously though him. I was so focused that I startled when Bella returned to the room.

"Good game?" she asked, a smirk on her plump lips.

"It is when your father is watching it." I replied.

She smiled at me, affection for her father pouring out of her. "I'm going to miss him."

I didn't say anything to that, nothing I could say would be right. She needed to come to terms with it on her own. I watched her move around the room, depositing worn clothes into a hamper and straightening up. She loaded a CD into a small player on her bedside table and started it up at a moderately low volume.

"I don't like listening to music anymore really, but it will keep Charlie from hearing us talk." she explained. "Can you still hear if something gets close to the house?"

"I sure can." I confirmed, double checking out of reflex.

"The wolves will be coming by at some point, you should probably ignore them. Keep them guessing." she smirked.

I really liked how Bella seemed to naturally think strategically. I sent her a wave of my approval.

"Tactical, I like it." I told her.

She fiddled with the controls some more on the player, setting an alarm for 5:30am.

"I have to be up early, Charlie will be driving me to the rez tomorrow." She informed me. "You can stay here if you want, or do whatever it is you need to do. Just don't go following me there. I don't need to worry about a fight."

I nodded. It was a fair request and I couldn't begrudge her spending time with her other friends. Obviously she knew how to take care of herself.

She left the room again, going downstairs to tell her father she would need a ride to Billy's in the morning. He grunted a response, half his attention still on the game. She asked him if her music was too loud and he told her it was fine. I could hear her coming back up and I vacated her bed, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"At ease, soldier!" she mocked me, turning out the lights and grabbing my hand as she passed. I let her pull me toward the bed, again sitting on the edge as she settled in.

"Are you alright?" She asked me when she was comfortable.

"Yes, sorry about earlier. I'm not sure what came over me." I evaded.

Bella looked at me for a moment, chewing on her lip. She seemed to be debating whether to question me further on it. Eventually, she shook her head and let it go.

She resumed her story at the birthday party, explaining how things looked from her perspective. I agreed with her assessment for the most part, although I was still finding it difficult to forgive myself as easily as she had.

"Jasper," she paused. "Talking about Edward leaving is difficult. Could you help me please?" she asked, sitting up.

"Of course." I said. I expected she needed some calm, so I sent her a tendril of it to get her started.

Instead, she half climbed into my lap, wrapping her arms around my lower torso and burying her face in my stomach. I stopped breathing, not daring to move. After a moment, I embraced her back and resumed the calming waves to her, waiting for her to speak.

When she told me what Edward had done, the words he used when he left, I was beyond angry. Only the fact that I had her delicate body so close and that she needed my help made me repress my own feelings. That he left her alone in the woods was beyond irresponsible. If it hadn't been for Sam, the wolf, she may well have never been found.

I wondered if that was Edward's plan all along? An "if I can't have her, no one can" type of thing. He had always hated to share. I took deep breaths, ignoring the burn in my throat. I had to keep calm so that I could keep projecting calm. I wanted to destroy him for what he did to her. It was inexcusable! I pictured a hundred ways to kill him in my head as I carefully held the broken girl in my arms, ever mindful of my location. Soon, I would fix this for her.

The words out of Bella's mouth kept getting more horrifying as she described what it felt like to lose a mate. Edward may not have loved her the way she deserved to be, but she did love him. The bond was real for her. If Edward had accepted it, I had no doubt they would have been happy together. That moron was too blind, too selfish to see it. He had thrown away his chance with this amazing creature.

When we left, she had suffered alone, with no one to confide in. Then, to make it even worse, her mother threw her away. The poor girl had suffered so much. I stroked her hair, upping the strength of my gift, weaving in strands of comfort and protection.

"I'm guessing Edward didn't give you the letters the family wrote to you then." I said.

"I didn't know they wrote to me at all. He probably destroyed them." she said, anger coloring her emotions.

I didn't bother confirming her suspicions, although I agreed. I just continued to send her soothing emotions and stroked her hair softly.

"I wasn't allowed to write one, although I might not have anyhow. What I needed to say to you after what happened I couldn't say in any letter. Emmett was hurt when he didn't hear from you the most, but Edward insisted that you needed space and if you wanted to speak with us you would do so."

"I wanted to, so much." She whispered. "To Emmett and you especially."

We were quiet for a little while, thinking about what could have been.

After the anger had passed, she continued speaking softly, telling me all about her time with the pack on the reservation. I was relieved to learn that she was only friends with Jacob, even forgiving him for kissing her when she told me all that he had done to support her as she recovered over the last few months.

The more recent events involving Victoria, Laurent, and Eleazer were puzzling. I laughed with her when she told me about Laurent's visit to the Denali sisters and her learning more about them.

"Edward really thought that Laurent was mated to Irena?" I asked her.

"Yeah, he said that before my birthday party." she laughed. "I almost pissed my pants when I realized the truth about the Denali sisters."

Bella rolled over so that she was looking up at me, her head still resting in my lap.

"This okay?" she motioned to her head.

"As long as you are comfortable." I answered. I couldn't imagine my stone hard lap was a good pillow, but I wasn't going to ask her to move.

"After I meet with Eleazer and he examines my gift or whatever it is he does, I'm going to come up with something to tell Charlie and get out of Forks."

"Are you sure you're ready for that?"

"No, but I have to be. The longer I stay, the more chances there are that he'll figure out what is going on. He can't ever figure out the truth." She said fiercely. "I can't risk my father dying in the crossfire."

"The wolves aren't in danger, you know." I soothed.

"I know, or at least, they aren't in _much_ danger."

I thought about that. It was a true enough statement. I supposed they would always have some element of danger in their lives because of the way they chose to live and what they were.

"I promised you options."

"You did."

"You could stay human if you want it. I will risk execution for you, all you have to do is ask. I can hide us away, I can even stay far enough out of your life that you won't notice my presence if that is what you want."

"And if I don't want to stay human?" she asked, nervous.

I paused, trying to figure out what part of what I had said generated the emotion. The limiting part of my gift versus one like Edward's is I could know what someone felt, but often not why.

"Why are you nervous?"

"I asked first."

Stubborn woman. I scowled at her, receiving a smug grin in return, but the nervousness had doubled.

"If you don't want to stay human than you will be a vampire." I answered. "There seems to be a few who would help you with that waiting in the Cullen house right now."

"And if I don't want to be changed by them?" I felt her disappointment.

"I have sired hundreds, if not thousands. I am capable. I could turn you if you wanted me to." I smiled, catching on finally to where the emotional trail was leading. She wanted me to do it. "Peter and Charlotte are the only two still living, that I know of, that remain of all my _children_."

"I still want to meet them."

"Maybe you better not, you might decide I'm a poor sire." I looked down at her face.

She giggled and stuck her tongue out at me. "So do you have plans for tomorrow?"

"I might hunt. I'm not used to being so close to a human for this long at a time." She looked concerned, so I sent her a quick burst of relaxation. "I'm fine, I just like to keep ahead of it when I get a chance to."

"I wouldn't be offended you know," she said, "if you took out a criminal or something. It might be more _tactical_ however if you kept golden for a little while though." Her forehead creased as she thought about it.

"I was thinking along the same lines. About tactics I mean, not about killing humans. Well, you know what I mean." I dragged a hand through my hair, flustered. "With the wolf pack, the Denali couple, and potential complications from the Cullens it just seems wise to be prepared." I said.

"Anything on the agenda besides hunting?" she asked.

"I thought I'd go stir up some trouble at the Cullen house." I grinned. "They are in our home uninvited after all. Not that I will make the Denalis leave, I just feel like making them uncomfortable, seeing what they have to say about why they are here. Laurent doesn't need to stick around though." I said, a bit of distaste for the nomad in my tone. He may have helped with Victoria, but he was once part of James' coven and I didn't trust him.

"I told them they could use the house." She sat up, shrugging. "I figured that Carlisle owed me one, being that I was his _daughter_ and all, surely I could use the house."

Smart girl, I was sure she was right. Carlisle would certainly agree with her if he was made aware of her logic.

"I see. Well, they don't know that. You won't deny me my fun, will ya darlin'?" I faked a frown.

"Of course not. Peter and Charlotte going to join you at the house?" She looked excited.

"Nah, Peter doesn't want anyone knowing about his gift." She looked curious. I held up a finger, checking to make sure there were no wolves close by. For extra safety, I waved her close and whispered, knowing she was going to be a Whitlock one day and safe to tell. "Keep it quiet, no one but myself and a very few others know. Never let on, even if someone seems to know Peter is gifted, alright? He can make his scent disappear and he's learned to cover others if he works at it. Really handy skill for a vampire to have."

"I won't say anything." She said. "Why all the secrecy?"

"Shields of any kind are highly sought after, although I think he's paranoid. It might be because of how we started off in life, or maybe he just likes to be able to use it to sneak around without anyone suspecting." I whispered. "He's a nosey little shit."

"It's a shame they won't be coming to Forks. I'd like to meet them."

"Maybe you can go visit them in Seattle instead?" I suggested.

"Not a good idea. I have to stay close to the wolves, it keeps me out of Alice's visions." I stared at her in confusion. "Guess I forgot that part. Alice thinks I'm dead because she hasn't had a vision of me since I got lost in the woods. We figured out the wolves block her visions, so as long as I'm around them, I'm free of Alice."

I was struck dumb. Alice couldn't see the wolves. So she couldn't see me right now even if she wanted to because of the dogs patrolling the forest.

"Change of plans, Peter and Charlotte are coming to Forks." I said, pulling out my phone.

Bella plucked it from my fingers before I could dial and smirked at me. I waved her to continue, sitting back and watching. She scrolled through my contacts, finding Peter's name and hitting send.

"Major." he answered.

"Captain." she replied. I sent her a burst of pride that she remembered his rank from my history. There was a long pause on the line.

"Ma'am, I don't believe we've been introduced. Is the Major there?" Peter replied cautiously, not giving away any more information than he already had.

"Yes, he is." Bella said, smirking. The little devil was making him squirm. They would get along well.

"May I speak with him, ma'am?"

"Aren't you going to ask my name?"

"My apologies. I seem to have forgotten my manners. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with on the Major's phone?" his tone was polite, but I could tell he was getting frustrated.

Bella just laughed. "That's more like it Peter!" she said. "This is Bella. I just wanted to say hello to you and Charlotte and invite you to my house. I'll let you talk to Jasper now."

She handed me the phone, still laughing lightly and tucked into bed, telling me goodnight. I retreated across the room to let her sleep.

"So, how's it going in Seattle?" I said, amused.

"Just fine. So, Bella is it? Who's idea was it to scare me like that? I was worried you'd been kidnapped or something." he complained.

"All hers." I admitted. "Seems the wolves block Alice's visions so you two should come down here, just incase she starts looking." I gave him the location, letting him know that the area was being patrolled and he'd need to use his talents to come in stealth.

He agreed saying he'd be there in a few hours after getting the address from me. I let him know to come to the window in the back and I'd sneak them in as long as they were here quick. Hanging up, I took up my position sitting next to Bella's bed from the night before and waited.


	9. Chapter 9

**(Bella)**

When my alarm clock went off, I reflexively flung my arm out, swatting at it until I found the snooze button. Just a few more minutes, that's all I needed. I wasn't usually one to abuse the snooze feature, but I was especially tired this morning. I pulled the covers over my head to block out the early morning light and groaned, rolling over until I was wrapped into a tight ball.

A woman's soft laugh made me freeze.

"Quiet, you'll wake her up!" a male voice whispered loudly. The voice was smooth and deep, but unfamiliar.

I didn't recognize the person speaking. I stayed still, processing the situation slowly in my sleep befuddled mind until it came to me who the mystery people could be. It took an embarrassingly long time.

"Peter and Charlotte, nice to meet you." I said from within my blankets. I tried to struggle my way out, but I couldn't find the edges.

"Need some help darlin'?" Jasper's voice came from much closer, right beside my bed.

"Maybe." I said, already feeling exhausted from struggling. I gave up my efforts and waited to be rescued from my self-made prison.

He chuckled at me and with a few well-placed tugs, I was free. I took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling hot from being wrapped so tightly. I could actually feel my hair sticking up, no doubt from my attempts to smother myself. I blinked a few times, focusing in on Jasper first. He was leaning over me, still holding the edge of the blanket and smiling at me in a way that made me smile back involuntarily.

His golden eyes were a shade darker than his golden hair today. I wondered if he needed to hunt again. His hair was curly, hanging in ringlets to just barely brush his shoulders. It was thick and a little wild naturally.

His features weren't smooth and child-like as the rest of the Cullen men's were. He retained a ruggedness that made him seem like he could be older than he had pretended. I knew he was only nineteen, almost twenty when he was changed, but he could pull off maybe twenty-two or twenty-three easily.

He was tall, about 6'3", give or take an inch. While not as muscled as Emmett, he was obviously toned and reflected his status as a predator in his movements. It was almost shocking that so may times over the Cullens had managed to pass off Jasper and Emmett as high school juniors.

As I stared into his eyes, I wondered what color they were in his human life. He hadn't mentioned it and it occurred to me that he might not even know himself. He told me there were a few photographs of him in history books from his time in the civil war, but back then photographs were not in color and in such poor quality it was impossible to tell. I could imagine him with brown eyes like mine, or blue eyes like the Texas sky. Perhaps gray?

I was caught in his stare for probably too long, but I couldn't seem to look away. I was out of it this morning, most likely due to lack of sleep. At least I wasn't cranky, unless Jasper was using his gift on me. I tested my emotions and didn't feel anything foreign, so I guess the almost giddy feelings were all me.

My alarm went off again. Had it really been nine minutes? I stared at it confused, but now that I had broken eye contact with Jasper, I could almost think again. I turned the alarm off fully this time and looked around the room.

Oh, right... The other two vampires. They were looking at me like a cross between a zoo animal and an escaped mental patient. I was probably some of both at the moment. I studied the pair as they studied me.

Peter was almost as tall as Jasper. He had a more ordinary shade of blonde hair instead of the rich honey color Jasper had. It was straight instead of curly and cut a bit shorter, but still longer than most men wore it. Their frames and features were similar enough, especially around the eyes, that they could have been related distantly. His mate Charlotte was tiny in comparison, only about five feet tall. Her hair was platinum blond, slightly wavy and long. She had a nice figure without looking too top-heavy for her stature and she had a kind face.

"Sorry to have to run, but I need to fix this." I pointed to my head, internally laughing at their expressions. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

I grabbed some clothes and my toiletry bag, rushing from the room. I sent my amusement to Jasper on the way out, letting him know that I wasn't put off by his friends. I had noticed quickly while Jasper was telling me his story that he liked to communicate with emotion. It was like a secret language with him, one which I quickly learned to use. I loved being able to say more than simple words could convey.

I showered as fast as possible, not worrying about removing the vampire smell, knowing I'd just get covered again before I left the house. Maybe Jasper had some suggestions about that. I brushed out my hair, taking extra time with my appearance now that I'd blown first impressions to hell with my walking haystack impression. When I was satisfied, I made my way back to my room.

"You almost ready Bells?" Dad called up from downstairs.

"Just a minute!" I yelled back. I heard the front door shut behind Charlie as he went out to warm up the car.

Crap. I wasted too much time. I rushed into my room, ignoring my three guests and grabbed my purse and phone.

"Any ideas on how not to smell like a vampire around the wolves? You guys kinda smell bad to them and I don't want to stink up Jake's house." I said hurriedly while tying my sneakers. "Should I roll around in the woods or something?" I half-joked.

Jasper looked at Peter, his face conveying his request without having to ask.

"You told her?" he accused.

"Yeah, she's good." he said simply.

He growled and concentrated, then shook his head. "Won't work. Either it's because she's human, or I don't know her enough to do it, or a combination."

I realized he tried to erase my scent with his gift.

"Sorry Peter, I won't tell anyone. Jasper warned me that it was top secret. It might just be me blocking you as well. I haven't met with Eleazer yet to work on my gift. Maybe I'm keeping you out like I did with Edward." I shrugged.

"Take a walk then before going inside. You won't actually have to roll around in the woods though." Jasper said, looking thoughtful and completely serious.

I groaned, still feeling too tired to want to go hiking along the beach. The sacrifices I made for my friends. I doubt Jake would even appreciate it.

"Okay, well make yourself at home then. Just lock up if you leave. And don't eat the neighbors." I directed at the couple. "Or their pets." I said to Jasper before taking off down the stairs to the sound of Charlotte's giggles.

I grabbed a coat on the way out and got in the cruiser where Charlie was waiting on me. We didn't talk much on the way, neither of us awake enough to make conversation. I convinced him to stop at a drive-thru for extra-large coffees, my treat.

When I got to Billy's I headed straight for the beach, taking Jasper's advice. The wind was blowing steadily so I was pretty sure any remaining scent on me would be covered by the slightly salty breeze. It helped me wake up at any rate. I was glad for the warm cup in my hands, it was too cold out to be comfortable.

When I finished my walk, I texted Jake and let him know I was at his house. I didn't need him worrying about me all day or sending the pack around to check on me constantly. I wanted to spend the day thinking while I cooked. Making a plan for the day made me feel better. I would spend the morning cleaning up, then when it was a more reasonable time, I could take Billy's truck to the grocery to pick up supplies.

I had to get my head around the fact that I was missing the blonde vampire more than was normal considering we were virtual strangers a mere day and a half ago. There was just something about him. Talking to him was so easy. It was like we'd always known each other. Despite having been lied to and manipulated by vampires in the past, I trusted him much more than I probably should. Tomorrow I'd be spending the day with Eleazer, hopefully Jasper would agree to be my backup.

I didn't want the wolves there, if only to keep them from meeting more vampires and risking their tribe further. I had a feeling that the fact that they killed any vampires they met had been a large part of what was keeping them under the radar. Only the Cullens had been an exception and that might have been a mistake on their part. I would think that even the Volturi couldn't fault them for defending their land.

When I was done cleaning, I made a trip to the store and then started cooking. I made a ton of food, packing it into disposable single-serving containers for easy freezing and reheating. I would have to leave Charlie soon and I didn't want him to have to cook for himself for as long as possible.

Billy came into the room while I was frantically cooking, studying me for a while.

"How long?" he asked simply.

"I don't know for sure, but soon." I said, pausing. "Sorry for making a mess with the dishes, I'll clean up before I start on dinner."

"Don't worry about it." He looked sad. "What are you going to tell him? What am I supposed to tell him?"

"You can't tell him anything Billy. If you do, it would forfeit his life to the Volturi and all this would be for nothing." I said with a bit of venom in my voice. "The secret must be kept, the same as ever." I continued portioning out casserole, giving myself something to do. "I'll keep in touch with him as best I can, give him as much closure as I can."

He nodded and I thought he was going to leave. I turned around, about to put another dish in the oven when he spoke again.

"He would be proud of you if he knew. Angry at you, but proud just the same. I voted against you, but not because I am against you Bells. I just could never vote to allow my best friend's little girl to go through what you are going to. No matter how willing, no matter the situation. I just couldn't."

I didn't turn around as I heard him wheel out and the TV turn on. I loved him for caring, even though he was stubborn to the end. I grabbed a portion of the casserole and a glass of milk from the fridge and brought it in to him.

"Some lunch?" I offered.

"Thanks Bells, looks good." he smiled at me.

I kissed his cheek and whispered, "I understand." patting his hand as I left him to eat.

**(Jasper)**

"Are humans always so... busy?" asked Peter after Bella left.

"Sometimes." I said, already missing having Bella here. We had spent the last day and a half together, but already I was... attached. "You'll get to meet her more later. She had to go put in some time with the wolves. They have been taking care of her and protecting her since the Cullens left." I explained.

I realized I was already thinking of myself as separate from them. I was a Whitlock again in my mind, not a Cullen. I wondered briefly if I ever was really a Cullen. I had never even taken the coven name, going by Hale most of the time to pretend to be Rosalie's twin and once taking Alice's name of Brandon when we were college students and were openly married. She never wanted to take my name.

They never really accepted me, I was tolerated. I was a project for Carlisle certainly, a pet for Alice, a stain for Edward and Rose to sneer at. Esme tried to care for me, but I was just another part of the burden she carried. Emmett was different though, he and I bonded.

"She's fearless. I don't think I've ever seen a human that didn't bat an eyelash at being in a room with three vampires before. Especially you and I." Peter said, pointing between us.

Most humans and all vampires seemed to sense how deadly we in particular are, as if it is an aura around us.

"And now you tell me she's off to play with a pack of wolves like it's no big deal." he shook his head.

"She threatened to fight me for my bike yesterday." I laughed.

"Should I be scared? I mean, she doesn't look so tough, but I'm starting to get concerned. Maybe you've met your match." he teased.

"I apologize for telling her of your gift without your permission, but I told her my entire story. I left out nothing." I looked into his eyes, sending him my seriousness. "Bella wants me to be the one to change her."

Peter scratched his head, looking thoughtful. "I trust if you felt you had to tell her you had your reasons. It's been a while since we've had a newborn around." He gave Char a reassuring squeeze. "The girl certainly doesn't seem boring."

"I like her." Char said. "It would be nice to have a woman around."

"She likes you too." I told her. "I could feel it, she likes both of you actually."

Peter studied me carefully, his emotions vacillating between excited and amused. "Not as much as she likes you, I'm sure." he mumbled.

I scowled at him, deciding to let the comment go for now.

"I was going to grab a quick hunt on the way over to the Cullen place. Bella pointed out it was _tactical_ for me to keep my golden eyes while dealing with the wolves and Eleazer." I smiled.

"This keeps getting better, the girl's a strategist too?" Peter grinned widely.

I chuckled. "Sure is. She was the one that invited them to use the house. She figured if Carlisle once called her daughter it was her right. Doesn't mean I'm not going to go have a little fun with them though." I winked. "Up to you if you want to stay here or go there. The wolves patrol pretty heavily though so either way, watch yourselves."

Char and Peter exchanged a look, silently communicating the way mates often could.

"We'll stay here. Bella did offer we make ourselves at home after all."

"If there's trouble with the wolves, your best bet is stay inside and call her. They know there was an unknown vampire with her last night, but I didn't show myself. More of Bella's tactics." I gave her number, watching them quickly program it into their phones.

The three of us made our way downstairs, Peter and Charlotte seeing me out the back door.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't Major!" He called as I took off into the trees. As if that left anything, I laughed. Peter was nearly as reckless as I was and he was a born prankster.

I kept my senses alert as I ran, avoiding coming too close to any wolf trails until I was on Cullen land. I didn't run into anything more interesting than deer, but that was normal this close to civilization.

It didn't matter much to me anyway, it all tasted horrible. Carnivore was only _slightly less_ horrible, but not worth going out of the way for. The Cullens seemed to notice the difference much more than I ever did. Maybe it was because they were desperate to see what wasn't there, or maybe it was down to the fact that I spent over eighty years on the good stuff and compared to that, no animal came close.

Just thinking about it was frustrating. Although I had drained the animal, I was still thirsty, but years of living the Cullen way had taught me that no amount of deer would remedy the feeling. I forced myself to continue the run to the house, ignoring the scratching in my throat. It was easier if I didn't think about it. I could almost forget if I was distracted enough.

I made more noise than usual as I ran, ensuring the vampires in the house knew I was coming. I could hear them inside, scurrying around, whispering. Their anxiety reached me before I could make out their words.

"Someone is coming!" Laurent said.

"Yes, someone is!" I said lowly letting some menace leak into my tone.

"Jasper?" Eleazer questioned.

I didn't bother stopping, running straight into the house, pausing only long enough to open the door. Esme would be pissed if I broke it and I didn't feel like repairing it. Construction was more Emmett's thing.

"Funny, I don't recall inviting you three into my home." I said, straight faced. Their fear at my sudden appearance sent a thrill through me. I projected submission to them and their eyes dropped to the floor, Eleazer reflexively pulling Carmen behind him. "Carlisle didn't mention it either. So why are you here?"

"You are correct, Carlisle didn't invite us." Laurent spoke. "Bella did. Forgive me if we have overstepped our bounds, the girl claimed it would be acceptable."

"What business do you have with Bella?" I asked.

"I came here at the request of Laurent to assist her with her gift." Eleazer said. "I was told she was to be turned soon and was to meet with the Volturi."

I studied them for a moment, feeling out their emotions. Finally I decided they were not trying to deceive me about anything and I relaxed, easing up on them with my gift. I could feel their relief as my power ebbed.

"I must thank you Laurent, for stepping in on Bella's behalf. I understand you destroyed Victoria?" I said.

"Yes, but I would have done that anyhow. I am surprised the Cullens left her after killing her mate like that. It seemed cruel."

"The Cullens don't think of things like normal vampires do, their instincts are dulled. I tried to warn them, but they did not listen. I'm glad the woman was shown mercy, even if it was later than it should have been." I watched Laurent carefully as I spoke. Even Maria was kind enough to make sure that whenever we killed half of a mated pair, we _always_ finished the remainder. It was harsh to leave one alive. "Is there anything you desire in payment?"

"No, I only want assurances that the law will be upheld regarding Bella. The girl is at the heart of much conflict." he said.

"Do you know me by reputation? My true name is Major Jasper Whitlock, I was once involved in the southern wars." I told him casually.

"I hadn't realized you were him, the Major. I have heard of you." Laurent said, backing up a bit, eyeing the fraction of my scars that could be seen around my clothes on my neck and face more critically.

I raised my hand signaling him to relax. "I have been living in peace for the last sixty years, and you have not done anything to raise my ire. I have spoken with Bella and she wishes me to be the one to change her. I have extensive experience with newborns and will make sure she adheres to the laws. You have nothing to worry about regarding the Volturi."

"I will leave it in your hands then." he bowed slightly. I could tell he was still very nervous. "I will take my leave, as it seems things are handled here. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I'll be in touch." Eleazer told him with a small smile.

With a small nod to him, he grabbed his travel bag and zoomed out of the house like the wolves were after him.

Once he was out of sight, Eleazer cracked up. "Really Jasper, you scared him half to death!"

I suppressed a smirk. "He should be scared. I'm a scary guy."

He just laughed harder. "Come now, you are an honorable man, only scary to those that deserve it. I have your number."

He shook my hand, pulling his mate out from behind him.

Carmen gave me a small hug. "Nice to see you again, Jasper." she said.

"Likewise." I said. "Of course you are always welcome here, no invitations necessary."

"Thank you. We must catch up, I have a feeling there is much we need to discuss. Jasper _Whitlock_." Eleazer's eyebrow raised.

"You caught that, did ya." I said. Eleazer was a smart one, I suppose he'd have to be considering he was a former Volturi guard.

I filled him in on my return to my coven, including the fact that the Cullens were still unaware of it. He promised to keep it quiet as long as I didn't wait too long to let them know. I also made it clear to him that his involvement with Bella would be limited to assisting her with identifying her gift only. He seemed relieved at that.

"I am not anxious to get involved, as much as I respect Carlisle, I can't help but think he has made a mess of this situation." he admitted.

"Yes, he follows Edward's direction sometimes a bit too blindly. He needs to realize he is the coven leader, not his son." I said.

"Tell me more about Bella. She seems to be quite extraordinary. I have never known you to become so involved in human affairs before."

We settled down on the sofas. They had done a nice job cleaning up the place, the dusty furniture covers had been packed away and the rooms looked as they had back in September. The only difference was the lack of personal touches, pictures and mementos had gone to New York.

"She is that. The girl has been through hell, mostly at the hands of the Cullens. Hunted by nomads, and survived. She's got a lot of spirit." I smiled, thinking of her.

"Is it true then, she blocks Edward completely as a human?" he asked, curiosity emanating from him in waves.

"Sure is. He never got a single thought from her. She's even repelled my manipulations once. I don't know if she can do it on demand or if it was a result of stress though." I thought back, remembering how I had tried to make her fall asleep in the hotel room in Phoenix while we were on the run from James. It was like she flung the emotions right back in my face. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but now it took on a whole new light. I didn't mention Peter's inability to remove her scent earlier, both because he didn't want his gift shared and because it may have been a coincidence.

"Remarkable." Eleazer mused. "To be that powerful a gift in its human form will likely mean a considerable gift when she is turned. I'll know more when I see her. I suspect she could be a shield."

We left the heavier topics behind for a while and caught up on gossip. Carmen especially got a real kick out of hearing that Edward told Bella that Irena and Laurent were mates. After a while, I let them know they needed to stick to Cullen lands to hunt and made my way back to Bella's house.

I was feeling anxious to get back, just incase her father got there early. That and I was missing seeing my girl. I smiled, I liked thinking of her as mine. With me being the one to change her, she would be with me by necessity for at least a year or two after the change. I hoped for longer, but we hadn't discussed that.

I sent a wave of alertness followed by relaxation toward the house as I approached, a signal to Peter that I was here and it was all clear. He met me at the back door. I let him know that Laurent had left and there shouldn't be any issues with Eleazer and his mate.

It was about time to make another call to Carlisle, updating him on our pretend journey to Washington. The three us us went up to Bella's room, Peter taking the rocking chair while Char and I sat on the bed.

Carlisle answer right away.

"Jasper! Good to hear from you, I was beginning to worry. Just a moment, I need to get in my office first." I waited for a short time, listening to the sounds of a hospital in the background.

"Sorry about that son, I just started at an urgent care clinic. It's smaller scale than the hospitals I usually work at, but very challenging." He sounded excited.

"Glad you are enjoying it." I told him. "We are nearly to Forks now, about to check into a hotel to charge our phones. I would have called you earlier but I wanted to preserve the battery." I lied smoothly.

"Of course, I hadn't considered the constraints traveling as you have been must put on you. It has been too long since I have done it that way. Perhaps the family should try it next time we take a vacation, just for fun." I tried to picture the Cullens of nomads. Peter's face almost made me start laughing.

"That's an interesting idea." I told him. "Anyhow, I'll call you when I'm charged up and have a chance to look around Forks. I should have an idea when we will be back to New York soon after as well."

"Excellent." Carlisle said. "I hope Bella has been doing well. Remember, don't disrupt her life, I feel terrible about all we have already done to my daughter." I was surprised at the amount of remorse in his voice.

"Only what is necessary, you have my word." I didn't say that his version and mine of necessary were worlds apart.

"One more thing, I haven't told the rest of the family that you will be checking on Bella. I didn't want to get their hopes up. So if you speak with them, don't mention it." he pleaded.

"I agree with you, best not to say anything yet." I responded eagerly. "I have to go now, the phone is about to lose power. Take care Carlisle."

"You as well Jasper."

I hung up, grinning.

"That couldn't have gone any better if we planned it." Peter said.

I couldn't agree more.


	10. Chapter 10

**(Bella)**

Jake had to patrol right after school but made it a point to come by and check on me first. I guess my text to him this morning wasn't quite enough to prove to him that I was in fact alive and well. His overprotective hovering was worth it to see his expression when he came in the kitchen to find the mountain of food I had made.

"Hells Bells!" he said, his eyes wide. "Are you opening a restaurant?"

"No, just making some food for Charlie." I was just finishing portioning out Grandma Swan's famous stroganoff into containers when Jake walked in. I handed him a bowl with the last of it, knowing the easiest way to avoid his questions was to feed him.

"I don't think Charlie will eat this much Bella." Jake said around a fork full of food.

"Don't speak with your mouth full Jake." I told him. I ignored his looks as he ate, picking up containers of chicken casserole, stroganoff, shephard's pie, and enchiladas and putting them into two medium sized cardboard boxes.

I remembered the first time I had made enchiladas for Charlie. He looked wary when he smelled the green chilies, probably remembering my mother's experiments in cooking, but he bravely tried it. Surprisingly, it ended up becoming one of his favorites. I always made sure not to use too many chilies, knowing he would get heartburn.

"Hey, where you going with all the food?" Jacob asked me, looking heartbroken.

I laughed. "I told you, it's for Charlie." He still looked sad. I turned around, leaning on the small square table. "Jacob Black, have I _ever_ left you hanging?"

I walked over to the freezer, swinging the door open wide. Inside, stacked neatly, were four large dishes containing duplicates to what I had portioned out for my Dad.

"I love you Bells." Jacob told me, faking wiping a tear from his eye.

I rolled my eyes as I shut the door. "Help me bring these boxes to your Dad's truck. I wanna get these home before Charlie gets here."

"Why?"

"Because I don't wanna have to explain to him why I went all Betty Crocker on him yet." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Okay," He said, stacking the boxes on top of each other and bringing them out together. I followed along, just incase he dropped anything, but of course, superhuman reflexes prevailed. If I had tried that I would have broken a leg and splattered everything all over the ground. "Why did you go all _Betty Crocker_ anyhow?"

"It won't be long until I have to leave Forks. I don't want Dad to have to cook for a while." I said quietly. "And no, I haven't thought of what to tell him yet." I snapped.

He set the boxes in the back of the truck and stepped back, hands up. "Gees Bella, go easy on me."

"Sorry Jake, I just had a conversation kinda like this with Billy today. He was sweet about it, but you know how stubborn he can be about the _cold ones_." I imitated Billy's voice on the last words.

"Anything I can do to help?" Jake asked, pulling me into a quick hug.

"Look out for my Dad."

"Besides that. _That_ is a given."

"I'm not sure. If I think of anything, I'll let you know." I told him. "You are helping already by being such a great friend."

"I know, I'm awesome." he winked at me. "You need help unloading this at your house? Sam needs me on patrol really soon." he looked torn.

"Let me check." I said, winking.

I dialed Jasper's number, not knowing if he'd be at my house or the Cullen house right now. Either way if I needed him at mine, I was sure he could beat me home.

"Bella? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. Are you at my house?"

"Yes, is that alright?"

"Perfect actually. I'll be there in a few minutes, I'm just leaving the rez now and I have some boxes I need help carrying in. Would you mind?"

"Not at all darlin', I'd be glad to help."

"Okay, see you soon then."

I hung up and grinned at Jake.

"All taken care of, go ahead and patrol."

"Oh no you don't. You can't just chat with a vampire on the phone and think I won't ask about it. I'm coming with." He said. "Consider it part of my patrol route."

"How do you know it was a vampire?" I asked, eyebrow raised. He just looked at me, as if waiting for me to admit it. I tapped my foot, jingling the keys in my hands. I figured out after a few seconds that Jake's doggy ears could hear both sides of the conversation perfectly so could tell the voice on the other end was vampire smooth.

I huffed, "Fine, but you better be nice." I tossed him the keys, knowing if he was driving I'd get there quicker and he'd have something to focus on.

I'd gotten used to being a passenger while dating Edward. It used to irritate me to no end, but now it just didn't seem to matter. My priorities shifted a lot recently. I realized the driving thing was just part of the power struggle. It shouldn't have mattered who drove the car. The fact that it was such an issue was just a symptom of the larger problem.

Jacob was tense the whole way there, and I began to worry. I hoped he wouldn't go all protective on me, but I was starting to think it was inevitable. Jake usually let me do my own thing, even if he didn't agree with me. The only real exception was if he thought I was in danger, then he would attempt to boss me around. I grew up with Jacob though, and I couldn't possibly be intimidated by someone I had watched grow up alongside me, no matter how big he got.

"Jake, it's Jasper who will be helping me bring in the stuff." I said.

"Jasper _Cullen_?"

"That's not his name, but yes." We were almost to the house now. "No freaking out please. You said you'd be nice."

"Are they all back?" He asked, tense.

"No, he's the only one of _them_. And I'm glad he's here."

As soon as the truck was in the driveway, Jake hopped out of it. He stood, staring at the front door where Jasper leaned against the doorframe. Jasper looked relaxed, but I could tell it was an act. He had obviously heard the end of our conversation and realized the pack now knew he was in town.

"We patrol Forks now, to keep Bella safe." he spoke flatly.

"I have no issues with that." Jasper nodded and they resumed their staring contest.

I took the chance while they were staring at each other to send a text to Peter and tell him that he and Char should stay quiet and scentless unless they wanted to introduce themselves to the pack. A few seconds later I got a simple reply of _"on it"_ from him.

The message received sound broke the standoff between the guys and I cursed not turning off the chime noise before then. I hopped out of the truck and walked around to the drivers side, leaning against the truck and staring at my phone.

"Hey Jasper, how do I turn off that noise when I get a text message?" I asked, waving my phone at him.

"Give it here, I'll fix it for you." He sent me his amusement. I missed playing emotional ping-pong with him. I thought of how it felt to miss him all day and sent that his way, not even knowing what to call the emotion. Longing? Absence?

"Sure," I mumbled, pretending to be absorbed in messing with the phone still. "Umm... Jasper, Jake. Two boxes in the back. Just put them on the kitchen table for now."

"Obvious much?" Jake whispered to me, giving me a look that said he'd rather not work with the vampire and knew exactly what I was up to.

"I fed you stroganoff and filled your freezer. Lasagna for dinner tonight. Where is the loyalty?" I whispered back.

He sighed theatrically. "Come on leech, I'll show you where she really wants these instead of where she wants them _for now_." Jake said while picking up a box and walking toward the house. He only cringed a bit while passing Jasper who quickly followed Jake with the second box. I smiled at their retreating backs as I walked, proud of Jake for making the effort. Even if it was begrudgingly so.

Jake led the way to the waist high deep-freeze that was in the basement. Before I moved here its sole purpose was storing the many pounds of excess fish that Charlie caught. He spent a lot less time cooking it than catching it so the freezer never emptied out.

I was just grateful that he took the time to label his catch when he froze it. One of the first things I did when I moved here was go through and throw out anything older than six months. Charlie insisted it was still good, but I reminded him that he would fill it up again and he relented to my cleaning. Since I took over the shopping, the freezer had more varied contents.

Jake set his box down on the folding table that found a permanent home next to the laundry machines and stepped back to leave room for Jasper to do the same. There wasn't a lot of room down here with Jacob's massive frame and the low ceilings. Jasper wasn't standing at his full height either.

The basement had a cement floor and walls, but Charlie had coated everything in a sealant that kept the ever-present wet of Forks outside. The air was still rather damp, but it wasn't worse than any other basement really. Partly that was due to my Dad's cleverness. Instead of packing holiday decorations and the assorted old memories and forgotten things into cardboard boxes, he had used plastic tubs.

"They were easier to stack", he claimed bashfully when I complimented him about his idea. I was still impressed. By packing that way, he avoided growing mold and there were no rodents down here.

I searched around in the boxes of food, pulling out one of each dish and handing half of them to Jake.

"These go upstairs in the regular freezer." I pointed at the other two boxes. "Jasper, can you put the rest in the deep-freeze for me? The cardboard goes in the recycle bin upstairs when you're done."

"Sure." he said.

I grabbed Jake's free hand and the other two containers and pulled him upstairs. I was sure Jasper could have the boxes unloaded in seconds flat and watching him work would only give me a complex. I sent him my gratitude as I dragged Jake up the stairs. It wasn't an easy task considering Jake didn't want to turn his back on Jasper.

"Move it Jake, I gotta get back to Billy's if you want dinner tonight." I finally said.

This seemed to do the trick, causing him to rush up the stairs, nearly carrying me with him. I laughed at him as I was propelled the rest of the way up, landing on my feet almost gracefully at the top. I was impressed, normally I face-plant after such a maneuver.

I grinned and walked to the kitchen, plopping down in one of the chairs. Jake put the four containers in the freezer and sat down across from me, trying to look relaxed and failing.

"I should be insulted that you use food against me Bella. I'm not just a stomach you know."

"Of course you aren't." I placated him. "So do you want me to take your shoes and stuff back to Billy's with me when you go on patrol?" I asked him, changing the subject before he could get offended.

"I'm not leaving until you do." He told me, his nose twitching.

I rolled my eyes and opened the window next to the table. He shot me a relieved grimace. "I am heading out in a minute. So is that a yes?"

"Sure, sure."

When Jasper came upstairs a moment later I held out my phone to him. "Fix please."

"Do you want a different sound, a vibration, or nothing at all?"

"Just turn it all off. I don't need to see texts right away." I said, knowing that all the superhumans around me would pick up on the noise vibrate made and half the time I didn't notice it anyhow. When I was away from here I would change it to something else.

He took it, tapping away quickly and handed it back seconds later. "No more chime when you get text messages."

"Thanks!" I smiled at him. "And thanks again for helping with the food. I've gotta go again, just wanted to drop all that off now instead of explaining it to Charlie later. I'll be back tonight."

I headed for the back door, Jake following me closely. When I got to the tree-line, he grabbed my hand stopping me.

"Where are you going Bells?"

"You need to go patrol. I am taking your stuff back." I said slowly, as if he was a small child. "I assumed you were going behind a tree to phase, but by all means if you wanna get naked in front of Jasper, go for it." I told him.

His face pinked up a little at that. "Fine, stay here." He stomped off just out of sight and about thirty seconds later barked. I walked forward and found a pile of clothes waiting for me with the truck keys on top.

"Thanks Jake." I told the giant wolf. "Go patrol, I'll be at the rez."

He licked my face like a dog and chuffed a doggy laugh. I stumbled backwards, disgusted.

"That was nasty!" I used his own shirt to wipe off the drool. "Gross."

I stumbled out of the woods, still scrubbing my face. Jasper looked horrified.

"Not one word!" I told him sternly. I marched straight to the truck and started it up, feeling Jasper's projected amusement hitting me as I pulled out, the drive back to Billy's uneventful.

After prepping two pans of lasagna, I spent the rest of the afternoon reading. By the time Charlie got off work I had a salad ready and Jake was back from patrol. Billy kept his word and didn't act any different around him which I was glad for. I dished out of the larger pan, taking the smaller one home to put in our freezer, adding to the stockpile I had made earlier.

Charlie was in a good mood, already planning another fishing trip with the guys for the upcoming weekend. This time they were going salt water fishing. Harry had won four tickets from a raffle that included free equipment rental and two days passage on a fishing boat. Dad and the guys would be driving up early on Saturday and spending the night in Seattle. I smiled and chatted with him about it as we drove home. I was glad he had such good friends. It made it easier to leave knowing that the guys would look out for him.

When we got home, I got Charlie a beer and settled him in front of the TV before making excuses about being tired and going to bed early. He seemed a little suspicious until I told him I did some extra cooking and cleaning today as well as taking a walk on the beach.

"I noticed the double lasagnas Bells. Not a bad idea with the way that boy can eat." He laughed. "Goodnight honey, see you in the morning." I kissed his cheek and went upstairs.

I opened my door slowly, peeking in. As expected, three pairs of eyes, two sets of red and one set of gold were looking at me from on my bed.

"Hi." I said.

Peter's nose wrinkled up. "Wow, I wish my gift did work on you. Do all the wolves smell like that?"

I laughed at the face he was making. "Sorry, was just about to shower."

"God, it's like a wet dog went dumpster diving, then got ran over by a truck and baked in the sun for a couple of hours."

"And got sprayed by a skunk." Charlotte added helpfully.

"Lovely description." I rolled my eyes. "If it's any consolation, they don't like how you guys smell either. It's like stink wars between you." I grabbed my clothes and headed to the bathroom.

Nothing like being told I smelled like dumpster diving road-kill to make me feel good about myself. I showered and ran through my routine, not concentrating on much of anything. I really was tired. I liked cooking, but it was a lot of work, especially with all the cleanup involved from making so many different dishes. Add to that not getting quite enough sleep last night and the emotional week and I could do with some real rest.

I stumbled my way back to my room, shutting the door and putting on some music again.

"You're exhausted." Jasper said.

"Yeah, it's been a long week." I told him. "I wish I wasn't so tired. I really wanted to get to know you guys more, but I need to sleep soon." I looked at Peter and Charlotte regretfully.

"Don't worry about it Bella, we have forever to get acquainted." Charlotte said giving me a smile.

I returned it. "I suppose we do."

I shooed them out of the way and climbed into bed.

"Jasper, are you coming with me tomorrow to the Cullen place to meet with Eleazer and Laurent?" I didn't want to assume he would, but I really hoped so.

"I would prefer to accompany you actually. Laurent already left town. I was there today, so Eleazer knows I'm here. Besides, it might be helpful to have an active gift like mine around when testing out yours."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Good idea." I yawned, fighting sleep for a bit longer.

"Char and I were thinking of tagging along with you, I know you wanted to get some things out of the house as well as your truck. I figure as long as I avoid Eleazer and don't actively use my gift, I should be able to pull it off." Peter said. "I figured you would want to stay by your girl anyhow and this way we won't need to go running back to the house again."

"Sounds fine to me." Jasper agreed.

"Yeah, I'm really not interested in spending any extra time at the Cullen house either." I told them. I was never comfortable there to begin with and now it's just full of memories I'd rather not think about. "The wolves will probably be listening and patrolling close tonight, now that they know the mystery vampire is Jasper. Sorry about that, but there wasn't much way to put him off."

"He's your friend, I don't expect you to lie to him for me." Jasper said.

"Well it's pretty much trapped the three of you inside tonight." I sighed. "Feel free to read my books, or entertain yourself with whatever you find in here." I told them.

"We'll manage, don't worry about us." Peter said. "You just get some sleep now, so we can deal with Denali tomorrow."

"We need to come up with an exit strategy for Forks. I've been thinking about it, but you three have had to disappear more than I have so I figured I should get your input. I want to stay in contact with Charlie by email if possible, phone calls would be nice but that's just unrealistic. I'm sure it would be hard to pull off after my change with the newborn thing and voice differences."

Jasper looked thoughtful. "I never pictured your Dad as an email type of guy."

"Exactly. He'll do it if he has to. If it's the only way, but he won't make a habit of it and it will naturally slow down on its own. I won't have to fake a lot of news or photoshop loads of pictures to make me look human or older than I am. After the first year I estimate it will be down to 2-3 messages per year."

Jasper and Peter exchanged a smirk with each other.

"What?" I said.

"Oh nothin'. We were just talking about you today darlin'." Jasper said, turning out the light and settling into his spot on the floor next to my bed. "About how you were a natural strategist."

Jasper was facing Peter and Charlotte, who had decided to curl up together in the rocking chair, each with a book. I followed his gaze, watching them as well. They looked very comfortable, almost wrapped around each other. Peter was stoking her hair lightly while holding his book one handed. Just looking at them, you could see that they were mates.

I tried to hold in my own feelings, knowing the reaction I had whenever I looked at Sam and Emily and not wanting to expose that much of myself to Jasper when I felt so tired and defenseless. He didn't turn his head, only reaching up his hand, palm up on the bed for mine.

"Don't hide." he whispered.

Those two simple words were like a sledgehammer to my chest. I slipped my hand into his, taking a deep shuddering breath as I let the hole in my chest have it's due. It burned from being repressed. I didn't make a sound, just squeezed his hand and let it out. It felt like being ripped open all over again, but I had an anchor to keep me from getting lost this time. I had Jasper holding me to the Earth. I let the pain run its course, time losing all meaning. I don't even remember when sleep took me.

**(Jasper)**

I could tell Bella was dead on her feet when she got home. I had been impressed with the volume of food her and the wolf had brought over earlier in the day to freeze for her father. It would probably last him for a month.

I was amazed at how well she was dealing with everything. In a few short months she had to deal with Edward and our family leaving, her mother, all while taking care of everyone around her. A pack of shape shifters couldn't have been easy to handle, even if she counted them as friends. I could feel how volatile their emotions were, it must be a delicate balance for them between man and beast. Then Bella had to deal with an insane vampire hunting her, Victoria. With Laurent, Eleazer, and myself showing up it had to be wearing on her.

She didn't take long to make her way up and head to bed. After a small amount of conversation, I turned out the lights and settled down next to her bed. As I watched Peter and Charlotte in the dark, I couldn't help but feel like I had sixty years ago. Slightly envious and longing for a mate of my own. I guess that is why I believed Alice so easily, I wanted to believe her when she told me we were mates. Any doubts I had at the time, I had ignored.

Watching them now, it seemed so obvious. Alice and I never had what they had. I could feel Bella watching them with me, her emotions almost a mirror to mine. I hoped I hadn't accidentally projected on her. I checked my control carefully and found that I hadn't been.

I concentrated more on Bella and let my eyes go out of focus. Her emotions started to become more erratic, and then shut down. I reached out to her out of reflex, hoping she'd allow me to comfort her.

"Don't hide." I whispered.

I felt her warm hand move into mine and had a second of bliss. Her smooth skin was so warm, so soft. Her hand small and delicate compared to my own, even without my unnatural strength. It made me feel more alive than I had a right to be. It felt like a sin as her fingers weaved in between mine. The feeling of completeness ran through my entire body at her light touch. I only had a second to enjoy it.

My words had another effect entirely. She opened the floodgates on her emotions, letting me see what she kept hidden inside. The reason for the dark circles under her eyes and the pain that hid below their chocolate brown depths. The emotions slammed directly into me, made even more strong by our contact. I wouldn't let go, even if it would ease the pain.

It felt like my dead heart was dying all over again. I swore vengeance on whoever caused her to hurt like this and made promises in my mind and to any God that was listening that I would do anything to keep her from ever feeling like this again. The intensity of her internal battle could only be compared to the intensity of the change itself, but instead of physical pain, this was pure anguish.

I rode it out along with her, unable to do anything else. I felt her grip on my hand become tighter. The most amazing thing was except for one shaky breath at the start, somehow Bella was able to keep her breathing and heart rate normal through the torment. It was like she was welcoming the pain, allowing it to come, not struggling through it but letting it pass over her.

I wasn't as strong as this little lady lying beside me, I had to stop breathing just to keep from acting out in some way. I wanted to squeeze her hand back, to let her know I was there. I didn't dare even try, fearing I would hurt her. When I finally was able to deal with the pain coming from her, I did the only thing I could do that I knew was safe. I used my gift to send her lethargy and relaxation, hoping to ease her into sleep. Finally, she succumbed and the torture ceased.

I monitored her carefully, finding that her sleep was peaceful, undisturbed by the emotional onslaught that she had just unleashed. I started breathing again and came back to my senses.

"Major?" Peter whispered. "Are you alright?"

I hadn't noticed Peter and Charlotte had moved closer, both of them kneeling in front of me, concerned. Char put her hand over my left hand which had been rubbing my chest unconsciously, stopping the movement. I looked down in shock.

"I think so." I answered, pulling myself together. I looked over my shoulder to Bella's sleeping form, seeing her hand still in mine. "She hurts more than you can imagine."

Peter and Char joined me sitting by the bed and we sat in silence with our thoughts until the sun came up, standing guard together against anything that would dare think to come for my sleeping angel in the night.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: While I have had Jasper riding around without a helmet in previous chapters, it is actually illegal in the state of Washington. I just didn't want to hide his face. ;) Bella is smart enough to protect her melon obviously and her concerns in this chapter are purely for her bike.**

**I've gotten my 100th review! Congrats to sam's-lurker-droid for being the lucky poster. ****Keep the reviews coming!**

**(Bella)**

I could smell bacon frying, sniffing at the air before opening my eyes. I stretched a little bit, realizing I was still holding Jasper's hand in mine from last night. I reluctantly let go, not wanting to release him, but a little embarrassed that I had kept him trapped next to me all night long.

"Morning. Where did Peter and Charlotte go?" I mumbled, looking at the clock. It was barely past 7am. Charlie hadn't been gone for long.

"Charlotte's making you breakfast. She assured me she knew how to cook if you're worried."

I got up, smiling at him. "Not at all, it smells great."

I ran a brush through my hair and made my way downstairs. Char was just plating my food as I walked in. She smiled up at me when I walked in.

"I hope it's alright, I haven't made human food in a long time." She told me.

"It looks and smells delicious." I told her, taking the plate and pulling a fork from the drawer. She had made scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. A hearty, yet simple breakfast. Jasper got me a glass of juice from the fridge, putting it on the table next to me. I devoured the food, channeling my inner Jacob. I had slept for about ten hours and I was starving.

"Thanks Charlotte, it was really good." I praised.

She beamed a smile at me in response as she whipped around the kitchen at vampire speed cleaning up. "No problem! It was fun. Cleaning up is much easier than when I was human too."

"I could have used vampire speed yesterday when I was cooking." I told her. "It took all day and I had to clean between dishes. If I could move like that it would have been a breeze."

"If you need to make more, I could help." she offered. "I don't remember specifics, but the mechanics are still there. I'm pretty sure if you have recipes I could follow them."

I shook my head. "No, I don't think I could pack too much more into the freezer."

"Mind if I steal those boxes you used yesterday out of your recycling Bella?" Peter asked. "We might need them for Jasper's things at the Cullen house."

"Sure." I replied. "Are you sure you won't need more than two boxes? Won't he need to get his clothes and stuff?"

"Nah, those were all things Alice picked out. Not stuff I'd wear willingly." Jasper spoke up. "I did some quick shopping while we were in Seattle, and I can always do some more if I need to. I just want some of my books from the house and few things I saved from my human life."

I finished my juice and Charlotte took my dishes from me, washing them and putting them away. I thanked her again and went up to my room to change out of my pajamas. I could hear Jasper telling them exactly which books he wanted and where he kept the items he was taking from the house.

I closed my bedroom door, blocking out the sound of their conversation as I dressed. I decided on a pair of jeans and a light knit sweater over a white t-shirt. It was dark green and had a v-neck. I brushed out my hair once more and checked myself over in the mirror. Deciding I didn't want the hassle of make-up, knowing it wouldn't fool a vampire anyhow, I declared myself presentable and threw on my shoes quickly.

I unplugged my phone from the charger and dialed Eleazer.

"Bella, so good to hear from you again!" he answered.

"Same to you Eleazer. I wanted to let you know that I will be coming over shortly if that is alright."

"I'm eager to meet you, as is my mate Carmen. We've heard a lot about you."

"All good, I hope?" I joked.

"Of course." he laughed. "We are ready anytime."

"Okay, I'll see you later then."

"Until later, Bella!" he said, hanging up.

I texted Jake, letting him know that I would be at the Cullen house today and would fill Sam in. I sent a text to Sam, not knowing if he was awake yet letting him know to call me when he was and that I would be at the Cullen house.

I went downstairs, joining everyone in the kitchen. The smell of coffee permeated the space. The three of them were holding mugs, sniffing at the dark brew. I was torn between confusion and humor. Deciding I'd rather have some of my own before asking, I made up a cup and leaned against the cabinets, sipping the coffee and watching my odd vampire friends, eyebrow raised.

"Who's idea was the coffee?" I finally asked.

"Peter's." Charlotte said. "He likes the smell of it. I won't let him make it often at home since it's a waste and he tends to go overboard." she laughed. "I don't mind the smell of coffee, but my Peter is a man of extremes." She kissed him softly and he joined in with a soft chuckle.

"Most human food smells vile." Jasper said. "Coffee is one of the few exceptions, as long as there isn't any dairy in it. It's too bad so many humans add milk or cream. Otherwise a coffee shop would be nice to hang out in. Starbucks is really nasty with all their designer drinks. Smells horrible."

"I can't even imagine." I tried to think about it. "I would ask what it smelled like, but I doubt you could give me an answer."

"Not really." Jasper replied.

"You heard my call to Eleazer, I assume?" I changed the subject, still sipping at my coffee.

"Yeah, we are ready to go when you are."

"After we finish our coffee is fine." I smiled and winked at Peter. He lifted his cup towards me in salute.

We rinsed out our cups and put them away before leaving. I was all for leaving them in the sink before Jasper pointed out that if Charlie beat us home it would look funny to find four cups. I told him it wouldn't since the pack was over so often but he didn't want to take the chance. He also ordered Peter to hide his and Char's travel bags under my bed incase anyone looked in my room.

I let him play commander while I got out my jacket and helmet. My bike was under a tarp against the side of the house. I debated showing off my restored Harley that Jake and I worked on. Well, mostly Jake worked on and I watched, but I helped by passing him things. It didn't hold a candle to Jasper's bike though and part of me wanted the excuse to press against him again.

A devious thought snuck into my head, I always could make _him_ ride my bike and take his. I wondered if I could pull it off. Jacob told me that I was good at flirting, but Jasper was an empath, he would know my game before I started. I could feel his eyes on me, I tried sending him calm. I felt alertness come back at me. Busted already.

"What are you up to?" he asked.

"What? Me?" I asked, projecting innocence.

Peter looked between us, smirking.

"Yes you. You are up to something darlin', don't try to pretend otherwise." his eyes narrowed.

I put on my jacket and helmet like a suit of armor, knowing it would help hide any stray expressions that could give me away.

"I don't know what you are talking about _Major_. You're paranoid." I sent him my false indignance, trying to keep from thinking too hard about his bike. "No more stalling, it's time to go." I opened the door and walked out, leaving him standing there for a moment before he caught up to me.

"I'll figure you out yet." he promised.

"Good luck with that Major, you can't figure out women!" Peter spoke up, earning a look from Charlotte. He pulled her close, grinning. "Best to just give in."

Charlotte rolled her eyes, but held him back, snuggling into his side.

Jasper darted off into the woods to get his bike and my phone rang. I pulled off my helmet and got out my phone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Bella, it's Sam."

"Oh, hey. Glad you called. I didn't wanna wake you up."

"It's fine, I was about to get up anyhow. So you're going to the Cullen place today?"

"Yeah."

"I don't think you should go alone Bella. I'll be over after breakfast, just wait for me."

"No, I have Jasper going with me. I don't think it's a good idea if Eleazer and his mate see you guys in wolf form. I don't know if they know about you or not and the fewer vampires there are who know about the pack, the better."

He paused, thinking for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. If you guys want to patrol around the Cullen house, go for it. Just stay out of sight."

"It would make me feel better. I know eventually you will be going off on your own, becoming one of them... but for now, you are one of us."

"Okay well, eat and come by after. I'm heading there now but don't rush, I'll be taking the bike so it's not like I'll be alone for long and I'll have Jasper with me. He can take care of me until you get there."

"Alright, I'll call you later. Be careful."

"You too, and stay out of sight." I hung up.

Jasper had returned with his bike already. I put my phone back in my purse and gave up on my game. Looks like I would have to give in, taking the equally good consolation prize of sharing a ride with Jasper after all.

"Change of plans." I said. "There is a potential for the pack to be meeting up at some point along the road. It isn't safe for Peter and Char to be running out of sight."

I put my helmet back on to free up my hands and walked over to the side of the house where the tarp covered my bike, unstrapping the bungee cords that held it down. I rolled it up, using the cords to secure the blue canvas to the house, keeping it from blowing around.

"You own a motorcycle?" Jasper asked, shocked.

"You thought I kept a helmet around just for fun? How clumsy do you think I am that I require a helmet?" I said, forgetting he couldn't see my expression through the facemask.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." He sputtered.

"Relax Jasper." I said, sending him my anticipation at the thought of getting to ride with him again. "Peter and Char can ride my bike, I'll ride with you, if that's okay."

"That's fine with me." Peter said, checking out my bike. "Looks like someone put a lot of effort into restoring this thing. Good work on it too."

"My friend Jake, he's a great mechanic. We spent most of the winter in his garage fixing up our bikes." I handed the keys to Peter. "I don't have spare helmets though, so if my Dad or one of his deputies pulls us over, we'll be in trouble." The thought of having my bike impounded was terrifying.

"I'll try not to get pulled over then." He winked at me, taking the keys and climbing on my baby. I sighed, trying not to worry.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to let me drive?" I asked Jasper. Peter started laughing loudly, causing Jasper to growl at him.

"Not a chance." he told me, offering me his hand to help me slide on behind him. I wrapped my arms around him, noticing Charlotte doing the same with Peter.

"Stay close." I told Peter and we were off.

Peter kept my bike level with Jasper's as we drove, taking up the lane. I concentrated on making sure he was driving safely instead of the feel of Jasper under my hands, my earlier playful mood evaporating as we got closer to the Cullen house. Once out of town, I couldn't help but feel a bit elated at the feeling riding always brought out in me.

Before long, we slowed and turned down the nearly hidden driveway. It was hard to spot and for a moment I was glad Jasper was the one navigating. I was sure I'd have blown right past it. Peter dropped back behind us as we took the trail more slowly, not wanting to damage the suspension on the bikes.

They stayed a bit farther back, falling even further behind. I realized they were intending to drop out of sight before we got to the house and I hoped the wolves hadn't gotten here yet. As we pulled up, Jasper hit a button on his keys, opening the garage door, but not driving in. Instead he stopped the bike in front of the front door and parked it.

He helped me dismount before getting off himself, setting my helmet down on the seat. Taking my hand he led me to the entrance, shooting me some reassurance. As we approached, the door opened and we were met by two vampires.

Eleazer was just short of six feet tall with dark brown hair, cut short, only long enough to touch his collar. His skin had a light olive cast to it, as if it was once a deeper color. He was older looking than any of the vampires I had met, if I had to guess his age, I'd say he was in his early 30s. His mate Carmen was beside him, just an inch or two taller than me. She had long dark brown hair, sharing Eleazer's olive tinting in her complexion. She too looked around 30 years old.

"Jasper and Bella!" He greeted us. "Come in." He looked past us, listening to the sound of the slowly approaching motorcycle. "Are we expecting someone else?"

"The rest of my coven will be upstairs in the house while we talk, gathering up some things I left behind." Jasper told him.

"Also, some of the people that have been protecting me might be around in the woods today, but they won't be coming in." I continued.

"Should we wait for them?" Carmen asked, watching the driveway.

"No, they know the way in." Jasper said, leading me inside and closing the door. "Let's go sit in the living room."

"We got some food, incase you are hungry." Eleazer said, looking proud of himself for remembering.

"I ate already, but thank you for thinking about me." I told him smiling as we settled down. I sat in an armchair, Jasper sitting on the arm protectively. I could tell he was on edge just being here, whether it was the place or the company I wasn't sure. Carmen and Eleazer took seats on the couch across from us. "So, how does this work?" I asked Eleazer.

"You don't have to do anything yet, I am already trying to get a feel for your gift." he was looking at me intently. "Jasper, would you mind moving away a bit? It helps if I have less interference."

Jasper looked hesitant to move away from me and I touched him softly, nodding that it was okay. He relented and moved to the other chair, not looking happy about being even a few feet away from me in the presence of unfamiliar vampires.

"Thank you, that makes it easier." Eleazer concentrated on me again. "Strange, I can tell there is something there, but I can't get a read on it. Definitely a shield, you are blocking me now."

"A shield?" I asked.

"Yes, it is a rare talent, very highly prized in our world. When I worked for the Volturi, Aro had me on the lookout for such a gift at all times. He has a woman in his guard named Renata who has a power that is classed as a shield. She is Aro's personal bodyguard, but also protects the other two kings should the need arise. Her gift works differently, I can read her easily.

"Her shield protects from physical attacks by creating a sort of field around her and anyone she is in direct contact with. If someone were to approach her, they would be repelled. Her gift works on the minds of others, implanting the thought in an attacker's mind that they need to go in another direction, leaving them confused as to why they were approaching her or her charges in the first place."

"So a shield is a classification? A type of gift?" I asked.

"Yes, there are many general types, although I have found that no two gifts work exactly the same. A shield is one type. It can be many things, but they all have in common that they can be used defensively to repel others in some way. Some can stop physical attacks. Some can hide their appearance or block sound or scent. Others can stop mental gifts like you can do with Edward. I have even seen a shield once that was able to stop lies." Eleazer explained.

"Really? Stopping lies? How would that work?" I asked, intrigued.

"You are speaking of Maggie of the Irish coven?" Jasper spoke up.

"Yes, Maggie is technically a shield. She is unconventional, but still a shield by definition. Her gift is she can filter lies from the truth through her shield, it's quite unique." He smiled.

"What other types of gifts are there?" I asked.

"One you have seen, and I would be classified as, is a tracker. James was one and the way my power works is like a tracker. Although I don't hunt in the same way James did, I can search just as well in a different way, to find a gift no matter how well it's hidden from me. Usually." he frowned. "You are proving to be a better shield than I can manage.

"Tracking by scent is a skill any vampire can learn, but to have the gift for it is something different than following a trail. I never met James, so I don't know how exactly he used his gift. There is a very skilled tracker with the Volturi who once meeting a person can lock onto their pattern and find them anywhere in the world. He does not need a scent or clue to head straight for them."

I hoped his gift, like Edward's, would fail to work on me. I didn't want to have to worry about the Volturi showing up someday, led like a heat-seeking missile straight to me by this tracker. I sent my unease with the thought to Jasper and it echoed back to me. I was glad Jasper felt like I did about it.

Eleazer watched us with interest. "Ah, you two interact using Jasper's gift. A clever way to speak without speaking."

I sent annoyance at being under the microscope to Jasper and he sent back agreement and amusement. "Yes, I often speak with my gift." Jasper took credit for it.

"What about Edward's gift, what type is that?" I asked, wanting the spotlight off of us.

"His is a passive gift. There are a lot of gifts that fall into that category, but for the most part he can't turn it off and it holds no offensive value besides that which comes from having more information. Jasper's gift is more complicated, both passive and manipulative. In my coven, Kate has the ability to send electricity through her body, shocking anyone she touches at will. She'd be classed as an offensive gift."

I thought about what Eleazer was telling me, it made sense. My phone ringing interrupted my thoughts.

"Excuse me." I said, answering it while I walked into the kitchen. It was my Dad. I had left my new number on the fridge for him.

"Bells?" Charlie greeted me.

"Hey Dad. What's up?"

"Nothing kid. I took off work early to get ready for the fishing trip and saw you were out on your bike. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine Dad."

"Good to hear it. You going to be home for dinner? I'm making some of that fish you always complain is in the way. Need to make room for everything I'm going to catch out on the open sea this weekend." he joked.

"Sure, sounds good." I told him.

"Alright, see you tonight then. Be careful."

"I will Dad, love you."

"You too." he hung up.

I got a drink out of the fridge, noting the food the Denali couple had stocked as I did so and went back to the living room.

"Sorry about that, my Dad was just checking up on me."

"Not a problem Bella." Carmen said. "It's good to see you have parents that care about you." she smiled.

"Bella, I'm afraid I can't help you with your gift unless you drop your shield for me. I can't get through it." Eleazer said.

"I don't think I can." I frowned. I had no idea how to go about dropping it, or even if it was possible. I didn't know I had it _up_ if that is what it was.

"I see. It could be that you won't be able to until you are changed." he looked regretful. "Can you extend it?"

"I'm not sure, I've never tried." I looked at him, confused. "I wouldn't know how to start. It's just there, I don't see it or anything." I was getting frustrated. I wasn't sure what he wanted me to do, it was like he was trying to tell me to make the air change color with my mind.

"Don't get upset darlin', he's just trying to help. It will probably be easier when you're one of us." Jasper soothed, sending me some calm.

"I know, but this is weird. I want to figure it out, but it seems so far beyond anything I can understand." I told him, sending him my inadequate feelings.

"You mentioned to me that Bella was able to block you in the past Jasper. Perhaps we could try that." Eleazer said, sounding hopeful.

"I can do that." I said. "Give me a moment first." I tried to relax, drinking from the bottle of water I brought from the kitchen and focusing on blocking out Jasper. I knew I had it when he frowned at me.

"I can't feel much from her at all right now. Just the faintest emotions. It's almost like she isn't there." Jasper said. I felt a prickling sensation on my skin, uncomfortable, but not painful. It went on for a few moments, then stopped. "Did you feel anything a moment ago?"

"A tingling on my skin." I said. "Was that you?"

"I was sending you enough amusement that you should have laughed." he smirked. "Looks like you were able to block me."

"I could see Jasper's gift deflecting, but no change in Bella. Her shield will indeed be very strong. Jasper's abilities are quite powerful. I'm just sorry I can't do more for you at this time. I expect that you will have no problem deflecting any gifts of a mental nature, including Aro's. I wouldn't be surprised if you displayed other aspects as well. You are welcome to visit me in Alaska after your change to explore things further if you would like to." Eleazer said, getting up.

"Sorry to have wasted your time." I told them.

"It wasn't a waste at all, I am glad I got a chance to meet you. You will make a striking immortal. It is a relief to me also, I was very concerned to hear Carlisle had left you here alone. My coven values the laws and I was conflicted greatly as to what I should do. I leave here knowing that Jasper will set things right, so I am happy." He hesitated. "Do you have a date in mind for the change?"

"Not exactly." I told him. "I need to settle things here, to make sure my human life can be over without causing problems for me later."

"Don't wait too long. This plan of yours revolves around you getting to the Volturi before they come to you. Keep in mind that traveling internationally will be difficult in your first year, especially as a vegetarian." he warned.

I chose not to enlighten him that I wasn't sold on Carlisle's life of abstinence, wanting to wait and see what it was like before making up my mind. Instead I nodded, keeping my expression somewhere between thoughtful and serious.

"I understand. We won't wait any longer than we need to." I told him.

"Goodbye then, we will go home now. The girls have been missing us." Carmen said following his lead to the glass wall that backed the house, and preceding him out the door.

"Oh and Jasper," Eleazer paused. "if Carlisle asks me about you, I will tell him what you told me about your status in his coven. However, I won't seek him out. Please, tell him soon. I don't wish to keep secrets from my old friend."

"I will, and I wouldn't ask you to." Jasper said. "Safe travels."

The couple ran after that, lost to my sight almost immediately. Jasper followed their progress a bit longer before relaxing.

"That was interesting." I said.

"It was, but not very informative. He didn't tell us much that we didn't already know." Jasper said, pulling me over to sit with him on the couch.

Peter and Charlotte appeared at the top of the stairs. "I thought they'd never leave." he called down.

"Did you get everything?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, I put it in your pickup." Peter dropped down in a chair with Charlotte on his lap. "I also moved your bike in the garage with Bella's. Looks like it could rain any time."

"Thanks." I told him, glad my bike wouldn't get soaked. A little water wouldn't hurt it, but I kept it mostly dry to keep the seat in good condition and the metal parts from rusting.

"What's the plan now Major?" Peter asked.

There was a knock on the back door. Sam was standing there with Jacob, both looking serious.

"The plan is we meet the wolves it seems." Jasper answered.


	12. Chapter 12

**(Bella)**

Sam and Jake didn't look very happy to be here. They were still standing outside, arms crossed over their chests. I got up, moving toward the door to let them in. Peter and Char shifted to sit closer to Jasper as I moved by, Peter putting his mate into the corner of the couch protectively.

I was a little concerned myself at what the pack's reaction to their red eyes would be. So far, I had kept their being here a secret for that reason, which I'm sure Sam wouldn't like. I wondered if I should have just told them right away, but dismissed the thought quickly. It was my business, after all, who I chose to invite into my life.

I squared my shoulders as I opened the door.

"Hey guys, you coming in?" I asked, challengingly, leaving the door open and walking away. I could here them hesitate, then follow me in as I walked back toward Jasper. My spot on the couch had been partially taken by Peter, but I squeezed into the small space between him and Jasper anyhow. "Take a seat guys." I said, nonchalant.

Sam and Jake exchanged a look before sitting as far from the couch the four of us were sitting on as possible. They looked uneasy, as if being in a vampire's den was their idea of hell.

"We were listening outside Bella, and saw the two Denali vampires leave." Sam said. "We didn't expect to find these other two red eyes here."

Jake looked ready to lose it. "Bella you have no sense of self-preservation at all. Every time I turn around you are running right into the arms of a human drinker. _Please_, for once, just back away from him before he bites you!" He pleaded.

Peter blinked at me, confused for a moment, then smirked. He sniffed me dramatically, licking his lips. "No Bella, stay right here." He snapped his teeth loudly.

I stared at him, mouth hanging open for a second before laughing at him.

"Weren't you even a little scared?" he pouted.

"Nope. I've seen scarier vampires than you Petey." I teased him, smirking.

Jacob and Sam looked horrified.

"Oh come on." Peter said, looking at the two wolves. "Give me some credit. It's not like your kind need to eat every piece of food you see."

"Umm... bad example." I joked, looking at Jake.

Sam suppressed a laugh, while Jake looked indignant.

"I don't eat everything I see." He mumbled. I decided not to argue with him, although he was a bottomless pit.

"Peter and Charlotte Whitlock." I introduced pointing. "Meet Sam Uley and Jacob Black. You already know Jasper Whitlock."

"Whitlock?" Sam asked. "I thought you were a Cullen?"

"I went by Hale when I was with the Cullen coven. I have gone back to my true name and have left the Cullens." Jasper said. "I was leader of the Whitlock coven before I joined the Cullens over sixty years ago and have only recently returned to them."

"So you aren't here to take Bella back to the Cullens, right?" Jake asked angrily.

"No. If she wants to see them, I will take her to them, but I will not force her to." Jasper answered.

"You know of the treaty and you still brought your coven here." Sam said, staring at Peter and Charlotte.

"I was never part of your treaty, at your insistence I believe it was Sam. They are my family and I will not leave them behind to spare your tribe's ego. We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves if you feel the need to test us. We aren't pacifists like the Cullens, but out of respect for your people there will be no hunting in your territory." Jasper said flatly, leaving no room for argument.

Sam's nostrils flared in anger and Jake looked back and forth between the two men. I could feel Jasper coiled tight against my side, ready for action should the situation call for it. I hoped Sam would realize who he was dealing with before it came to that. When I told the pack about the Cullen's histories, I hadn't known Jasper's.

"Sam, I trust them." I said, hoping to ease the tension. "When I leave Forks, I will be leaving with them."

"I trust your judgement Bella." Sam said grudgingly. "Just understand it is hard for us to go against our instincts like this. To accept that we must allow cold ones to walk the Earth freely in our own backyard makes us all very tense."

"I understand." I said, getting up and going over to my friends, grabbing Sam's hand and kneeling on the carpet in front of him. "But you are going to have to get used to it. Emily and Jake already promised to be my friend after I've become like them." I smiled up at Sam, squeezing his warm hand. "I just hope the smell is exaggerated." I wrinkled up my nose.

"It's not." Peter whispered loudly.

Jake fake-coughed loudly.

"Peter!" I scolded. "Behave yourself."

"Sorry ma'am."

"Come on, the Denali's bought a bunch of food that is just going to go to waste here. Let's see what we can make for lunch." I told the guys, leading them away. "You three make sure you got everything, I don't want to come back to this place ever again." I called over my shoulder.

We ate outside, sitting at the patio table. The guys complained that the smell was too much for them indoors. Once assured that everything in the kitchen had to go, the guys made some enormous sandwiches and polished off a mountain of chips. Anything that would expire was bagged up and Jake and Sam would be taking it with them. They wouldn't be able to phase with the bags, but they were pretty fast in human form too.

I could see my vampires inside while I ate thanks to the glass wall of the house, talking amongst themselves. It looked like something was going on, Jasper looked worried. I sent him my confusion and concern, getting his attention. He looked up at me, sending me some concern back and pointing to his phone.

I was about to go see what was going on when my own phone rang. It was my Dad again.

"Dad?" I answered.

"Hey Bells."

"What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could come home sooner than dinner? I need to talk to you about something."

"Is something wrong?" I asked, worried.

"Everything's fine. Are you with Jake now?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm having lunch with Jake and Sam now." I said, drawing the boys attention.

"Good." Dad mumbled. "Well just get home when you're done then, okay?"

"Sure Dad, I'll be home in a few minutes. Bye."

"See ya then Bells."

I hung up, confused. I looked at my phone, as if it held answers for my father's bizarre call.

"What was that about Bells?" Jake asked.

"I have no idea." I told him. "I guess I better get going. Charlie never wants to just talk, it must be something important." I frowned. My father wasn't by any stretch a conversationalist. Something had him worried, so much so that he needed to check on me twice in one day. He never hovered like that.

The last time I had seen him this concerned was when Victoria had been killing hikers, and even then he limited it to warning me about sticking with Jake and staying out of the woods. The guys helped me with the dishes and headed back to the rez after telling me they'd talk to me later.

I'd forgotten about Jasper's weird message by the time I made it back into the living room.

"Bella, I got a strange text from Emmett. It was about you." He said when I walked in.

"What?" I said, still stuck in my own head. I focused on what Jasper was saying.

"Here, read for yourself." He handed me his phone.

Emmett_: I overheard Rosie talking to Alice on the phone about Bella. She said she was dead. CALL ME!_

"What?" I repeated, too confused to come up with anything else.

"Bella, how do you want to handle this darlin'? I don't want to do anything you aren't comfortable with." Jasper said softly.

I looked up at him, feeling a bit overwhelmed. I couldn't let Emmett think I was dead, that wasn't fair to him. There was too much happening right now though to figure out what to do next.

"Do you mind if I..." I pointed to his phone.

"Go ahead." he said, sending me curiosity.

I typed back: _Guard your thoughts. Bella is not dead. Trust me. I'll call when it's safe._

I handed the phone back to Jasper and he nodded in approval. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

"I have to get home, something is going on with Charlie." I grabbed my coat and keys and headed toward the garage. "You three just meet me at home when you're done here, I need to get going. Sorry I can't be here to figure out the Emmett thing, but Dad sounded strange."

"I'll follow you on my bike, Peter and Char can take my truck. I think we're done here." Jasper said.

"Okay, but Dad is home so you'll have to park somewhere out of sight." I told him.

I put my helmet on quickly and fired up my bike, watching him do the same. Now that he had been able to get to his stuff, he now had access to his own riding gear. Peter and Charlotte joined us in the garage, getting into the pickup. Jasper and I left first, riding together down the long drive. Riding alongside Jasper wasn't nearly as much fun as riding with him, but I did miss driving my bike.

Before long, he was dropping back, allowing me to take the lead as I pulled up and parked, securing the tarp over my bike again to keep the rain off it. I pulled off my helmet before going inside, calling out as soon as I had the door open.

"Dad?" I yelled. "You home?"

"In the kitchen."

I hung up my coat before walking over to him. Everything _looked_ normal. Nothing was amiss, he looked healthy, I couldn't figure out the problem. I sat down, frowning.

"What did you want to talk about Dad?" I asked.

**(Charlie)**

I watched as Bella nervously sat down across from me at the kitchen table. As much as I hated to treat my daughter as a suspect, I needed to right now. I needed her to be nervous, to give me some answers. I trusted her judgement, she was a smart girl, but I wasn't a fool.

I knew she lied to me, and not the type of lies that teenage girls told their fathers. I also knew she was doing it for the right reasons. I was an honest man, but sometimes you had to do things you didn't agree with to protect the ones you love. I liked to think I was practical and that Bella got that trait from me.

When I came home from work early today, it had been simply because it had been such a slow day. I didn't take a lot of time off and I had been itching to get packed up for my weekend fishing trip. Fishing was my favorite hobby, but mostly the guys and I just went to the nearby lakes and rivers. Harry winning tickets to go out on the ocean was a real treat. It meant staying overnight in the city, which I wasn't all that fond of, but it was worth it.

I had noticed how hard Bells had been working lately taking care of Billy's house as well as ours and thought I'd help her out by cooking tonight. My skills in the kitchen were pretty limited, but Bella wasn't a picky eater. The only thing she insisted on is that I ate more vegetables for my health. I appreciated that she cared and she managed to make them taste pretty good besides. I was shocked when I went to get some fish out of the freezer to defrost and found a month's worth of meals made up.

They were all portioned out for single servings, labeled and dated just yesterday. I started putting things together. The new phone. Her upbeat attitude lately. The changes in her routine. It clicked suddenly and I stood there, holding a packet of fish, afraid.

Bella was going off after that _boy_. The Cullens. I was torn between anger and sadness. I was so sure she was getting over him, them. But now, I could see all the signs that she was about to make a run for it. She was making sure I'd be taken care of, and soon she'd be taking off. I wondered if she'd let me know or if I'd wake up to a note one morning and an empty room.

I walked upstairs, putting the fish in hot water to defrost and thought about what to do next for a while. Eventually, I called her and asked her to come home. I had to find out the truth. I knew my daughter wouldn't lie to my face, but she had been hiding things from me. I wasn't as clueless about things as she thought I was.

I was still in my uniform, using it to help keep my cop persona intact. I let her stew a bit as I thought of how to start. She spoke again before I had figured out what to say, my stormy expression getting the best of her.

"Dad? You said you wanted to talk about something? Is everything okay?" Bella said sounding anxious.

"Were you going to tell me? Or just leave me a note?" I started, knowing the shock of my question would either confirm my suspicions or prove me both wrong and extremely paranoid.

Her face went white and her jaw dropped open. The first option then, I was right. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but didn't speak right away. I waited, giving her time.

"I was going to tell you." she whispered.

"What were you going to tell me?" I asked, blowing out a loud sigh and leaning back, relieved that she was talking.

"I hadn't decided yet." she admitted.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Where were you planning to run off to?" I asked her sharply.

"I'm not sure." she told me.

I waited, hoping she'd tell me the truth. I didn't know how she got in contact with the Cullens again, but she must have somehow. I don't know why she would keep it from me, it's not like I could stop her from going anymore. She was a grown woman now, technically.

"You're not sure?" I prompted.

She shook her head. I watched her carefully, looking for signs of dishonesty. Unexpectedly, I didn't see any. She had gotten better at lying in the past few months since the Cullens left, but she wasn't that good. I considered that she might not have a set destination. That would be something I would expect from her mother, not from Bella.

"Explain." I said simply. Short demand, easy to interpret lots of ways. Maybe I'd get lucky.

"I can't." she said. "What tipped you off?"

"I'm Chief of Police, Bells. Give me some credit." I said. She just looked at me. I sighed. "The new phone, attitude, and a months worth of your cooking."

She blushed a little. "Damn, the fish is down there. I forgot."

We sat in silence for a little while, both thinking hard. I was sure she was plotting how _not_ to tell me things. Maybe it was time I told her a few things I should have done the minute I knew she was dating Edward Cullen. I had made promises but I'll be damned if I lose my daughter over them now. I have a feeling it was too late to save her anyhow.

"You aren't the only one with secrets Isabella." I said, looking at the ceiling.

She perked up at the use of her full name. I had to know how much danger she was in. I couldn't tell her if she had a chance.

"Secrets can be dangerous." She said simply.

"I thought so. Did you know when Billy and I were boys I used to help out his grandfather Ephraim before he died?" I asked her, watching her expression.

"You did?" she said. Her expression gave away more than her words.

"Yes. I know _what_ the Cullens are." I emphasized.

"You knew all along, and you didn't say anything?" She asked, shocked.

"Ephraim liked them very much. I always liked the old man, always listened to his stories. He treated me like his own grandson. I know about the Quileutes and the cold ones. Billy, on the other hand, disagreed with his grandfather about the Cullens. It was his father's doing mostly. William was very jealous that by the time he was old enough to phase, the Cullens had left and he never did. He passed that on to his son Billy in the form of spite and hatred.

"The treaty was supposed to forbid them from telling you the truth. I didn't know if you knew and I didn't want to do anything to cause you to find out. I know there are penalties for knowing things that you shouldn't. Not just the treaty, but from the Volturi. It seems they broke the treaty, I should have figured they would." I grumbled. Edward broke my baby's heart, why not risk her life as well?

"It was Jacob that told me. Before Edward and I started dating." She said. "How do you know about the Volturi? Sam and the wolves didn't know about them."

"What?" I didn't expect that one. "I'm going to kill that kid. As for the Volturi, Carlisle told Ephraim it was a secret and not to be included in the legends. Those two were close. I only knew because the old man would tend to tell me _extra_ stories when he had a few too many beers."

"Don't blame Jake too much, I was going to figure it out anyhow. I'm a cop's kid after all." She grinned at me. "He hadn't even phased yet then, he didn't know what he was doing."

"Well, at least you went into it with your eyes open." I huffed, a bit disturbed that my daughter willingly dated a vampire.

"Wait, so Billy knows that you know all about the Cullens?" She asked me confused.

"No, we were young and they were just stories. He probably thinks I forgot them or didn't take them seriously. When we were older and I was caring for the old man, Billy was busy learning how to be a leader from his father, so I was there alone." I explained.

"Oh." She said, frowning. "Edward can read minds, but he always said your thoughts were fuzzy to him. I guess that's a good thing, considering."

"Ephraim taught me to block my thoughts from him. I've had a long time to perfect it." I told her.

"The Cullens always just thought you had a gift like I do." she said. "Edward could never hear my thoughts at all."

I looked at her wide eyed. "Well, that's good. Maybe it's some of both. I was very careful around him though. I wish I'd known you already knew all this Bells. I just wasn't sure and I couldn't risk your life on a hunch." I told her sadly.

"What changed?" she asked.

"I thought you had found the Cullens and were running off to be with _Edward_, I guessed you probably knew more than you should. On the chance you didn't, I figured you needed to know some of it." I spat his name out like a curse. Even if he wasn't a vampire, and too old for my daughter, I still would hate him. I'd hate any man that hurt her like he did. If I could, I'd kill him myself.

"No, I'm not going to _him_." She said, the certainty in her tone clear.

"So where are you going then?"

She hesitated. "I'm not sure."

"Is it to do with them?" I asked, digging for clues.

"Yes, in a way." She answered, dragging out the words. It wasn't an exact confirmation, but it was close.

"Are any of them here now?" I was getting closer, her face gave her away. "Have them come in Bells." I said, getting up and getting a beer from the fridge. I had a feeling I was going to need one.

She got up, opening the back door. "Jasper?" She called out.

A few seconds later, a tall blonde vampire walked in the kitchen with her. I recognized him as one of Doctor Cullen's sons. I knew he wasn't really his son, but that is what he pretended to be when he was here last.

"You hear everything already?" I asked, knowing they had enhanced senses.

"Yes sir." he replied.

"Are you alone?"

"For the moment." he said. Then to my daughter he said, "Peter and Charlotte are finding somewhere to put the pickup where it won't be spotted."

Three of them. I wondered what the wolves thought of that. I wasn't sure what was going on with the pack. There seemed to be a lot more of them than the usual three, and tradition said Jacob should be leader, but Sam seemed to take the lead when they were together.

"The wolves giving you trouble?" I asked, curious.

"The pack are my friends, Dad." Bella said. "I'm sort of an ambassador for all things strange."

I sat down at the table, waving for Jasper and Bella to do the same.

"I don't suppose you can tell me anything more than Bella has then?" I directed at the vampire.

"I shouldn't." he replied. "You've done well to keep everyone from guessing how much you have known your whole life. Keep it that way and you'll be safe. That includes your friend Billy."

I nodded, expecting such an unhelpful answer.

"Are you planning to become like them?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Yes. It's the only way I will stay safe Dad. Too many people know that I know thanks to the Cullens. It's only a matter of time before someone comes looking for me. It isn't safe for me to stay here." Bella told me. She didn't look scared, but I noticed Jasper take her hand reassuringly anyhow.

"You will keep in contact with me then? I'll just pretend not to notice anything different on the phone, but you call me regularly." I told her.

"I can do that." She smiled. "I'd really like that actually."

"Alright then." I said getting up. "Bella, you have this Peter or Charlotte on that fancy new phone of yours?"

"Yeah."

"Call them up and tell them to park the truck in the driveway, no need to hide it." I took a good look at Jasper. "Jasper, why don't you come help me with something in the basement."

I could see the panic on my daughter's face, but Jasper seemed unusually calm, as if nothing could ruffle him. I opened the door, letting the vampire go down first and winking at Bella before shutting the door behind us. I leaned against the washing machine, watching him for a moment before starting in.

"Weren't you with Alice Cullen before?" I asked.

"I was with her for sixty years. I recently broke things off with her."

Sixty years? That was a long time to be with someone by anyone's standards. He may look like a young man, but he obviously was not.

"How old are you?"

"I'm nineteen, almost twenty years old. I was born in 1844, sir." he replied.

"You intend to change my daughter?" I asked him. He nodded in reply. "And what are your intentions toward her." I hadn't failed to notice the little looks between them. I didn't want another Edward situation.

"Intentions, sir?" He looked conflicted. "I like Bella very much. I'd never hurt her like my former brother did, I can promise you that. Everything else is up to her."

"Former brother?" I liked the sound of that.

"I have left the Cullens and will be officially cutting ties with them soon. I am already with my former coven, Peter and Charlotte."

"So Bella will be joining this _coven_ of yours then?"

"Yes, at the very least she will be with us for the first few years after her change. After that she will be free to do what she wants, go where she wants."

"Why will she have to stay with you at all?"

"New vampires need a lot of help at first. We call them newborns because like a baby, they need to learn to do things over again. It takes time to learn to control their movements, strength, speed, and so on. If they were on their own they would expose themselves for what they are to the humans."

I considered this man in front of me. He seemed genuine, but at the same time, I was wary of anyone showing interest in my girl. I didn't know how much time I had left to get to know these people my daughter was running off with, but I knew I had to make the best of it.

"Tell me why I _shouldn't_ trust you with my daughter's life." I asked of him, knowing I'd get farther than asking the opposite.

"I've killed men as a human in the civil war, and then I was turned and killed thousands both to feed and in vampire wars for territory. I've made enemies in the south that may come for me one day, and sometimes when other's see my scars or hear my name they want to fight me to prove they are tough. It's possible Bella could be hurt by someone trying to get to me."

"So you're a soldier, a vampire, and a fighter." I snorted. Could be worse. At least this one doesn't play piano. "Alright kid, you just protect my girl and we don't have a problem." I patted him on the back and headed upstairs.

Bella was pacing the kitchen nervously. I chuckled at her. What did she think, that I was going to shoot him? More likely he'd eat me.

"You call up those friends of Jasper's?"

"Yeah, they are on the way over now."

"Good." I said. "You going to be here when I get back from Seattle on Sunday?"

Jasper spoke up. "I have some business to attend to soon, we could do it this weekend. Paperwork to finish up with my former family. If Bella wants, she can come with me but we aren't leaving town yet."

"I'm not sure if I want to go or not, I'll think about it." She said.

"Alright, as long as you give me some notice Bells. Promise me that."

"I will, I promise." She kissed my cheek.

"Okay then. Now, no more talk about any of this fairy tale stuff." I pointed to Jasper. "Him and his friends are in town visiting you, I don't know anything more than that. Deal?"

"Got it." Bella smiled at me.

There was a knock on the door and Bella introduced me to Peter and Charlotte, two _red_ eyed vampires. I had to fight my instincts hard not to call them on it, but I couldn't let on that I knew what that meant. It was bad enough that Jasper knew, but he had already heard me admit it and there was no way to make him forget.

They noticed my unease and excused themselves to Bella's room, leaving me alone to finish packing for my trip.


	13. Chapter 13

**(Bella)**

The four of us filed up to my room, leaving my Dad to his packing. I could tell he was put off by Peter and Charlotte, but he didn't say anything.

"Now that is a normal reaction." Peter said satisfied. "I was getting worried I was losing my edge being around you." He gave me a smug look. "You're entirely too comfortable around us Bella."

I shrugged. "I've always been good with weird."

"I'm glad you are." Charlotte told me with a smile. "I've been stuck with Peter for company for too long. It will be nice to have a girl around that I actually like for a change. Jasper's former wife and I never could stand each other."

"That's putting it mildly." Jasper chuckled. "I was afraid to leave you two alone in a room."

"Dare I ask why?" I wondered aloud.

"You've met Alice, right?" Peter snarked. "Inflated self-worth, manipulative, uses her gift like a weapon? Likes to put down everyone around her, insists on _improving_ people who don't need it?"

I laughed, "Yep, we've met."

Peter grunted. "Suffice to say, she didn't take kindly to us from the start. Thought we weren't good enough for her _Jazzy_ and wouldn't let us be around him much. Whenever we'd impose ourselves, she'd insult our lifestyle and appearance the whole time. Charlotte about ripped her to pieces when she tried to cut her hair. It's a good thing Jasper was close."

"Why in the world would she do that? Charlotte has such beautiful hair." I smiled at her. "You're perfect how you are, don't listen to Alice."

"Oh, I have never listened to her. She's just jealous anyhow. When we are changed the length of our hair is what we are stuck with. I guess the asylum kept her hair short, so she's had a boy's hair-do for so long that she tried to take it out on me."

"Poor _Jazzy_." Peter mocked. "I never could understand what you saw in her really. You could have had your pick and you ended up with that little monster."

"Don't call me that Peter." he warned. "I don't ever want to hear Jazz or any other of those nicknames again. You know I've always hated them."

"I didn't know you hated those names. The Cullens called you them all the time." I said, frowning.

"Yeah, I let it go at first, thinking it was just a passing thing. After it seemed to stick I asked Alice to stop and she just told me I was being negative and refused." He frowned, looking frustrated.

"How about Jay?" I asked. "Do you like that nickname? Jasper doesn't exactly fit modern times very well, and it could be short for your name or for Jason which is more popular."

"I don't mind that darlin'. Especially when you say it." he winked at me, sending his honest approval. "Jazz was just so... emasculating."

I smiled at him, laughing a little. "Yeah, it never seemed to really fit. More like a name for a pet than a person. I could picture a poodle with the name Jazz."

"Exactly."

"Let's go get your stuff out of the pickup before it rains again." Peter said. "It's okay to put it up here?" He directed at me.

"Sure, I don't mind. You should be able to fit the bike under the tarp with mine too. The bungee will stretch and the tarp is big enough."

The guys walked at human pace, only carrying what would be normal at a time. It took them a few minutes, but I think it relaxed my father some as watched them carefully from the living room. He didn't say anything about the two boxes and guitar that made their way to my room or the extra motorcycle wheeled around the house.

I wondered what he was thinking. If I had to guess, I'd say he was just resigned to the inevitable. No point in making a scene about what looked like a man moving into my room when I'd be leaving soon with him anyhow.

I caught my Dad's eye from my spot on the stairs and smiled at him, hoping he could tell how much I loved him. His mustache twitched a little, almost a smile back. He gave me a shrug before disappearing into the kitchen. I sighed lightly. I supposed of all the fatherly responses I could imagine, that was the best possible.

"So Bella, why the sudden introduction to your Pops? Not that I am complaining about being able to use the door like a civilized person." Peter asked when we were settled back upstairs.

I looked at Jasper, unsure if I should let them know what had happened earlier between my father and I. He wasn't giving me any signals at all. I scowled at him, sending him my frustration, but only got a smirk in return. Apparently I was on my own on this one. I considered the risk to my father, but I was going to be part of Jasper's coven, wasn't I?

He had agreed to change me and I was sure he would stick around and make sure I was okay afterward, but we hadn't talked about after that. The old feelings of unworthiness threatened to creep up on me, but I pushed them down. I wanted to think that by introducing me to his coven he was intending for me to be a part of his life more permanently, but they were only here now because the wolves hid them from Alice, right?

"Tell me what has you feeling like that." Jasper said, pulling me over to sit on the bed with him. Peter and Char came over to sit with us.

"I guess I need to know what happens next." I started. "You said you'd change me, and I know that means you'll be in my life for a while afterward."

"That's right. Not only because it would be illegal to leave you alone as a newborn, but because I want to be the one to guide you sugar." He told me, holding my hand gently.

"And the trip to Voltera? Will you come with me for that?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

"Of course. I wouldn't let you go alone to such a dangerous place. You'll need someone with you that knows how to deal with the Kings. I'd be glad to escort you, I've met Caius before back when I was with Maria." He explained. "The guard cleans up the south every now and then, exterminating any coven that isn't being discrete enough."

"And after Italy?" I asked, my voice small.

He hesitated, seeming unsure of himself. He looked like he might be blushing if it was possible. "Well Bella, I hoped you'd choose to join our coven. To stay with me, with us as a Whitlock."

I looked to Peter and Charlotte. They were both watching me, expectant. "We both already think of you as one of our own." Charlotte said.

"That's right. Just say the word and you're stuck with us forever." Peter confirmed.

I felt warmed knowing I had Jasper's true family's approval. I gave his hand a squeeze before pulling away from his grip to give first Charlotte and then Peter a hug, whispering thanks in their ears as I did so.

"No need for that, you are something special. We should be thanking you for being so kind to us, even knowing what we are. You accepted us immediately, red eyes and all, trusting us to be with you at your most vulnerable and around your father as well. It means something to us and we won't forget it." Charlotte said with misty eyes.

I grabbed Jasper's hand again, sending him my affection for everyone in the room, especially him, my happiness and my feeling of belonging. He looked lit up from inside as he felt my emotions.

"Wow." he whispered. "That was intense. Your emotions are so much _more_ than anyone else's I've ever felt for some reason."

"Maybe I'm just destined to attract vampires." I mumbled. "Scent for Edward, intrigue for James, emotions for you..." I trailed off.

"I'd agree that you were meant to become one of us. Everything seems to bring you back to me."

I got lost staring in his eyes, the strange giddy feeling from the other morning taking over. I felt so complete, holding his hand in mine. It was like nothing could hurt me ever again, like I was safe from everything and nothing else mattered. It as all encompassing and a bit disorienting, but I couldn't seem to care. My entire world was in Jasper's eyes, in the way he looked into mine.

I watched Jasper's lips as he spoke, "So were you going to answer Peter's question darlin'?"

"Question?" I was confused for a moment. Then I remembered, before I got all worried about my status among the Whitlocks, Peter had asked me why my Dad was aware of them. I hesitated before, but now, knowing I was to be forever a part of their lives, I saw no reason to keep them out of the loop.

"My father knows I'll be leaving soon with Jasper. He has known since he was a boy about the wolves and learned from them about vampires." I broke Jasper's gaze to look at Peter. "He kept the secret from me and all the Cullens including Edward afraid that I would find out. Dad just wants me to call him when I'm gone. He's going to play ignorant to any changes he notices on the phone."

"Does anyone in this town _not_ know about vampires?" Peter asked, throwing his hands up.

"Just us Swans messing things up, don't worry." I told him. "Oh, and don't go acting all weird around him. Act human, he is going to go back to pretending he doesn't know what's going on. It's worked for him all his life and he's going to stick with it."

"He kept Edward in the dark after all. A combination of having a weak form of what Bella has in her head and learning to block his thoughts." Jasper added. "So no showing off or pranks."

"Shucks." Peter grinned.

I noticed Jasper check his phone and slide it back into his pocket and got curious.

"More messages from Emmett?" I asked.

"Yep." he said, sighing. "He said he'll wait for my call, but he wants to know what is going on. I think it's time we talked about the Cullen situation."

I reluctantly nodded. I knew this had to come eventually. Jasper needed to finish things up with them. Alice, despite her faults, deserved to know it was over between them. Besides, I was starting to feel more for Jasper than I was comfortable with knowing there was a woman out there that still thought of him as a husband. I would never be happy as the "other woman".

"We got Jasper out of there under false pretenses." Peter said. "I convinced _Daddy_ that Char and I were going to try going veggie and we needed a guide. We were on a side mission to check on you in the process. We flew out here, telling Carlisle that we were running the whole way so he thinks we just got here."

"So you had to eat some animals?" I asked, trying to picture Peter with golden eyes and failing. His eyes suited him.

"Yeah, let's not talk about that." Peter said, disgust on his face. "It was horrible, let's just say we tried it and we won't be doing it again."

"That bad, huh?" I said, laughing a little. Edward described it as tofu, but going by Peter and Charlotte's faces, I don't think that would be an accurate comparison. Peter shuddered and stuck his tongue out. "How do you guys normally pick your umm... meals?"

"We consider ourselves a public service." Peter answered. "We take out the trash."

Charlotte nodded, continuing. "We actually have a home office back in Montana. I guess you could call us private investigators. In a pinch, drug dealers are easy to spot."

"Wouldn't the police notice that all the criminals were dead?"

"We travel." Peter said simply. "And we don't always leave a body for the cops to find."

"Oh." I thought about it. I wasn't sure my police chief father would approve of their methods, but at the same time, I couldn't exactly disapprove. It seems like they put a lot of effort into their hunting and I respected that about them. "Sounds like quite the system you have set up. Are we going to Montana after we deal with the Cullen situation?"

"Of course we are! The Whitlock home is there, just waiting for you and Jay to move in." Peter said, trying out the new nickname for Jasper.

"First, the Cullens." I said. "I really don't care if I ever see them again, except for Emmett. I spent a lot of time thinking about him and how Rosalie treats him and I don't want to leave him there without talking to him. He needs to realize he doesn't need to put up with her abuse." I said, getting angry. "I mean, she hits him, makes fun of him, and treats him like crap. It has to stop, and it won't because he lets her get away with it."

"I don't think he knows any better." Jasper said.

"I want to talk to him." I decided. I would face the rest of them, I could be brave if it meant my brother bear would hear that he needed to stand up for himself. "How long do you need to finish up what you have to do Jasper?"

"They're in New York, so we should fly there. I would probably only need a couple hours at the house to settle things. We should stay in a hotel before flying back, unless you want to spend the night with them?"

"Hotel, definitely." I scrunched up my nose at the thought of Edward creeping around while I was sleeping. On hindsight, I found it less romantic, more stalkerish. "If we leave soon, we can be back before Charlie's fishing trip is done."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Jasper asked.

"No, but I'm going to be." I said honestly. "I'm done being pathetic. I want to move on with my life and I'm sick of letting other people stand in my way. So let's get this over with, then we can come back here and I can give my father a proper goodbye." I sent a wave of determination to Jasper.

"You might want to send a message to Emmett now, before he flips out and causes a problem. We don't need to walk into a panic." Peter suggested.

"Good idea." Jasper pulled out his phone. "Do you want to talk to him now or do you want to surprise him when you get there?" Jasper tapped instructions out on his phone.

I thought for a second, picturing getting my ribs crushed in a hug if I tried surprising Emmett. Worth it? Probably not. "I'd better talk to him. He needs to let his excitement out now, otherwise he might crush me when he sees me." I rolled my eyes.

Jasper held his phone up, showing me the latest message from Emmett which simply read. "It's safe."

"When it's safe." I repeated, touching my own phone which had Emmett's number in it. I remembered Jasper saying I could use it when it was safe, not understanding what it meant at the time. His nod to me indicated that I guessed right and I smiled huge before dialing Emmett's number on my own phone for the first time.

"Hello? Jasper?" Emmett's deep voice answered. He sounded anxious.

"Hey there, brother bear." I said, my happiness leaking into my tone. "This isn't Jasper's phone, try again."

"Bella!" he gasped. "Is it really you? Oh my god, Bella!" He squealed out, I could almost see him jumping up and down.

"Yep, really me. Alive and well, despite rumors of my death."

"Bells, I missed you so much! I kept hoping you would call me, but when you didn't Edward said it was because you didn't want anything to do with us anymore and I was so sad. I love you little sister, don't ever leave me hanging like that again!" He rambled.

"Slow down!" I said. "I couldn't call you, I didn't have your number."

"But I gave it to you." He said. "In the letter I wrote you."

"I never got any of your letters Em."

"You didn't?"

"No, Edward never gave them to me."

"That lying bastard!" I heard something explode in the background amidst growling.

"Emmett?" I said, getting no reply besides more smashing noises. "Emmett!" I yelled.

It got quiet for a moment, and then I head some soft rustling.

"Sorry, I killed a tree." He said bashfully. "I'm going to kill that pansy when I see him."

"No, you're going to keep him out of your head and play it cool." I told him, annoyed. "Jasper, Peter, and Char are taking me to New York soon and you need to keep the rest of them from figuring it out until I get there. Especially Edward and Alice!"

"Oh! Really?" He sounded excited.

"Yes, really. Can you do that?"

"Sure, anything for you Bells. I'm just glad you're okay. I didn't want to leave you like that, but the rest of the family all voted against me and I had no choice." He said dejectedly.

"We'll talk about that when I get there, okay?" I assured him. "For now, just act like you have been before and keep Edward out."

"I will. Have you been okay Bella? I have been worried about you."

"Not really, but I'm doing a lot better now." I said honestly. "I'm going to put you on speaker so Jasper can ask you about what you heard about me being dead, okay?"

"Sure." He said.

I figured the vampires could all hear just fine, but it felt too weird to hold the phone up while they talked around me otherwise, so I tapped the button for speaker phone. Nodding to Jasper.

"Emmett," Jasper began. "You mentioned Rose was talking to Alice on the phone. Has she gotten back from Alaska yet?"

"She's getting back today. She stopped by NYC on the way home to do some shopping. Rose told her that you had taken off with Peter and Char and she flipped out. She said she couldn't see you, so she started arranging for her purchases to be shipped right away and is heading home."

"It's the Quileutes. They block Alice's visions. She will probably see us coming as soon as we get out of the area." Jasper scowled.

"Neat, I didn't know they did that. Anyhow, Edward picked up something from Carlisle about you guys checking on Forks and has been throwing a hissyfit around here. Rose and Alice were saying something about how you couldn't go to Forks because Bella was dead. I couldn't catch the whole conversation without getting caught, sorry."

"No problem Em, you got enough. Still keep your mind guarded, and act like you were before. We don't want to give them anything to work with if we can help it."

"Okay, do you know when you'll be here?"

"Tomorrow probably, but we haven't locked anything in yet."

"Good."

"We'll see you soon Emmett. Hunt and take a good long run to burn off steam before going back. Put your game face on."

"Will do. See you soon Bells!" He said before hanging up.

"Odds on Emmett pulling off his act?" Peter asked.

"Fifty-fifty." Jasper said. "He has the motivation, but he's still Emmett. Looks like Alice is going to be a problem. She'll see us coming the second we head to the airport."

"Maybe not." I said. "We could ask a wolf to come with us, if you think it's worth delaying her visions."

Jasper thought about it, shaking his head. "No, we don't want to drag them into this any more than they already are. Plus, it's only postponing the inevitable."

"I agree. Is there anything we can do to stop her from seeing anything useful?" I asked.

"We could have a wolf with us when we buy the tickets, or maybe even have one of them bring us to the airport." Charlotte suggested.

"That wouldn't be a lot to ask." I chimed in. "Would that be enough to keep her from knowing where our plane was heading?"

"Possibly. She could always guess and there is a chance she'd get a vision that included a pilot's announcement or had something else in view that tipped her off, but it would help lower the chances of the family waiting for us at the airport."

"Good, what else can we do?" I asked, excited to learn ways around the evil pixie.

"Don't decide on anything, go by your instincts. If you have to decide, keep changing your mind on as many different options as possible, not picking one until the last second." Jasper advised. "You can also confuse her by deciding a lot of things that have nothing to do with what you are really after. Especially if it's the kind of thing she's interested in."

"So think about shopping and fashion?" I joked.

"Exactly!" He laughed. "Don't forget make-up and hair."

I shook my head, the woman's interests were extremely shallow. I was glad now that I wouldn't have to spend eternity as her best friend. How may times could you fake an interest in painting toenails before going nuts?

"Once when I _slipped_ I got her off my trail by thinking about going to different Fantastic Sam's and Super Cuts to look through their magazines to find a hair cut I liked for myself. While she was panicking and searching every one in the city to try and find me, I accidentally ran across the scent that I had found earlier and drained them before she caught up to me."

I grimaced, knowing that Jasper's slips weren't criminals. I didn't blame him, but it was still slightly disturbing. I sent him my acceptance, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. It was just as disturbing the lengths he had to go to just to do something without his wife's permission. What if he actually had wanted to cut his hair?

"I'm glad you didn't actually cut your hair." I tugged on one of his locks, giving him a smile. "But you should have the option to shave your head bald if you want to. It's your hair, the fact that she was chasing you around the city is horrible."

I got up and made my way to my ancient computer. I hit the power button, letting it go through it's slow power up process. It groaned and beeped at me before flickering to life.

"Better get on finding those tickets." I said. "I'll see if any of the wolves are free to take us to the airport once this thing is online. We can arrange a rental car too, that will be one less decision to make."

"Good thinking." Peter praised.

I went downstairs for a drink while the machine puttered to life. Charlie had his bag setting next to the door, all squared away.

"Hey Dad." I said as I pulled a bottle of lemonade out of the fridge.

"Hi Bells. Your friends staying for dinner?" He asked, looking confused. I guess he didn't know much about the mechanics of being a vampire.

"No, they already ate." I told him. He looked relieved. "Jake or Sam might stop by though, but don't worry about feeding them. I made plenty of extra food." I winked.

"That you did." He laughed.

"I decided I'm going to help Jasper out with his paperwork with the Cullens this weekend." I told him.

"You're coming back though, right?" He said, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, we'll probably beat you home on Sunday. Depends on the flights though."

"Okay then. Just call me if anything comes up." He said. "Do you need any money?" He reached for his wallet.

"No, I've got it Dad. Don't worry." I told him, holding up my hand. "I just didn't want you to worry if you called the house. I'll have my phone with me if you need me, okay?"

"Sure Bells, just keep me in the loop. I know you're grown up now, but you'll always be my little girl."

"I know Dad." I smiled at him as I went back upstairs, hearing the modem connecting through the open door.

Dad's offer of money got me thinking, however. I had a few thousand dollars still in my account, but flights were expensive, especially without notice. I would have to accept Jasper paying my way out of necessity. Next time I got him alone I was going to have to talk to him about it. I had a lot of stubborn pride, but I knew that being a newborn didn't lend itself to getting a job and I would have to accept that.

I called up Jake, hoping he would be willing to help me out.

"Sup Bells."

"Hey Jake, I need your help with something."

"Sure, you need me to tear up one of your vampire friends?" He said eagerly.

"No." I huffed. "I need some Alice blocking. Can you come over?"

"Sure, I was just patrolling Forks anyhow, so I'm not far from your place. Be there in a minute."

"Okay, Charlie's home so just come on up when you get here."

I hung up, motioning Charlotte away from the computer. "Not yet, we want full coverage."

She moved away from the computer quickly, as if being close to it would summon up Alice. I giggled at her and we sat down to wait. A few minutes later, Jacob came stomping up the stairs and burst into the room.

"Wow, all of you in here." He said, recoiling a little bit.

I opened the window for him, letting fresh air in.

"We're going to New York this weekend to officially end Jasper's relationship with the Cullens." I told him. "Would you mind shielding us from Alice's peeping while we made our flight plans? We could use a ride to the airport from a pack member as well."

"You're coming back right?" He asked, mirroring Charlie's question.

"Yeah, this is just a weekend trip. Charlie knows I'm going, I wouldn't just leave him like that." I told Jake, giving him a death glare. Jake looked relieved.

"Sure then. You should all fit in my Dad's truck as long as you aren't bringing a lot of luggage. The folks are taking Harry's van to go to Seattle, so Dad's leaving me his."

"Thanks Jake!"

Charlotte got to work on the computer, finding us tickets leaving tonight at just after midnight. Jake said it wouldn't be a problem, since he was about to go home and sleep for a bit after patrolling. She added on the rental car from the travel site, picking out a SUV. On the payment screen she simply held out her hand and Jasper put a credit card in it.

"No return flights?" I asked.

"We'll just buy them after we deal with the Cullens. Easier than worrying about being at the airport at a specific time." Peter said.

I nodded, figuring that made more sense. Besides, I didn't want to spend any extra time there and if we finished up early, I wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"You on the way home now Jake?" I asked my friend.

"Yep."

"I'll make you something to eat first then." I winked. "As partial payment for services rendered."

"Thanks Bells. Got any more of that stroganoff left?"

"Sure, I'll heat you up some."

Jake followed me downstairs and I pulled the container out of the freezer, popping the lid before tossing it into the microwave. I told Dad that Jake was taking us to the airport tonight and he seemed relieved that I would have someone I knew taking me into the city. My Dad wasn't a fan of the city, small town man, through and through.

After Jacob left to get some sleep, I went upstairs and chatted with Charlotte while packing a bag. I didn't need a lot, just a few changes of clothes and my toiletry bag. I decided to shower before dinner, knowing how gross flying made me feel. I changed into comfortable clothes knowing I'd sleep on the flight and finished my packing before having dinner with my Dad.

On my way out of my room, I noticed a lighter next to the scented candles I had on my dresser and pocketed it on impulse. I wasn't sure what made me do it, but I had the feeling going off to meet with my potentially hostile ex-family of vampires, it might come in handy.

Dad quizzed me about where I was going and where I was staying while we ate. I gave him general answers, skirting around things as much as possible. We slipped back into our old patterns of evasion easily. We were almost through the meal when he finally cornered me.

"Bells, just tell me this isn't going to end up like it was with _him_." He said seriously. "I like this one better than Edward, but I don't want to see you hurt, and don't try to deny that you like him."

"Dad!" I said, embarrassed.

"No, don't 'Dad' me. Just be careful this time, alright? Keep your head together and don't give yourself away like you did before. I hated seeing how much you changed for that boy. You just be yourself. Any man that doesn't like you for you isn't worth your time, you hear me?"

"I know that now Dad. I thought a lot about that, and I think some of that was from living with Mom. She never made me feel worth it, maybe I wasn't ready for a boyfriend." I admitted.

"I should have fought harder for custody. I thought it was better for you to live with your mother. I'm sorry." He said, looking angry and ashamed.

"Don't be. You did what you thought was best. I couldn't ask for a better Dad." I kissed his cheek and took the empty plates from the table.

"You turned out okay kid. I'm proud of you." He said. "Enough with the mushy stuff now. You be careful in New York. Don't take any crap from those Cullens. If they give you any trouble, call me and I'll be there."

"Don't worry, sir." Jasper said, appearing in the doorway. "I'll make sure they won't even touch Bella."

"Call me Charlie." He told Jasper. "Give Edward one for me, will you?"

Jasper smirked. "You have my word."

I laughed, knowing Jasper wouldn't go back on his word. Edward wouldn't know what hit him!


	14. Chapter 14

**(Bella)**

Time seemed to speed up and before I knew it, we were pulling up at the airport. Peter and Char parked Jasper's pickup in long-term parking, having followed behind us. They took one sniff of Billy's truck and refused to get in, the smell too much for them. We didn't have time to argue about it, so we just took two vehicles. Jake seemed relieved so I didn't make an issue out of it. I think he was hoping for Jasper to take the "vamp truck" too, but Jasper just took a deep breath and got in with me, making for a very silent drive.

Jacob walked us all the way to the security checkpoint, hugging me tightly before letting me go, reluctant to hand me over to Jasper.

"You better come back Bells." He reminded me gruffly.

"I told you, it's just a short trip." I said exasperated. "Trust me."

"I _do_ trust you. It's them I don't trust." he growled out before stepping away with a sigh. "Call me, okay?"

"I will. Now go home and get some real sleep. You still look tired."

The nap had done him some good, but Jacob had been patrolling all day and even though his wolf genes allowed him to go for days without sleep, he looked exhausted. I wondered if he had been kept awake lately by everything that had been going on. I was worried about my friend.

I hadn't spent nearly as much time with him as I usually did this week. As much as I wanted to be there for him, I needed to pull away. Soon, I'd be moving on with my life. Jake and I would always be friends and I hoped I could visit him after I changed. He gave me a half smile as I passed through the metal detectors and joined my friends on the other side of the barrier. I gave him a little wave before turning my back on him.

Jasper led me to the gate with his hand on my lower back. We had arrived with little time to spare and were able to board right away due to our first class passenger status. I wasn't used to flying in such style. Jasper must have felt my discomfort because he explained it to me.

"We aren't just flaunting our wealth. Flying for us is uncomfortable. We can't escape the recirculated air, but at least with these seats we aren't rubbing elbows with the humans. It makes it more tolerable. Ideally, we'd fly ourselves or charter a private flight, but we don't have a plane here and it would have taken longer to arrange than a commercial flight."

"Oh, that makes sense." I said, feeling a bit ashamed that I hadn't considered their needs previously.

"Don't worry about it, you didn't know." He told me, interpreting my emotions.

I fell asleep just minutes into the flight, which was unusual for me. I was pretty tired and it was late, so I guess I should have expected it. With the time difference it would be well into the morning by the time we landed so it was a good thing I was sleeping anyhow. Jasper woke me as the plane was landing in New York.

I was glad for the pricey seats by the time I woke up, feeling well rested, all things considered. We split up in the airport, Peter and Charlotte getting the rental car while Jasper took me for a quick breakfast. I took the chance to change clothes and freshen up as well. I wasn't trying to impress anyone, but the thought of looking crumpled when I met Rosalie again made me feel a bit self-consious.

"All set?" Jasper asked when I emerged, feeling human after cleaning myself up in the ladies room.

"Yep, ready to face the lion's den." I said sarcastically.

"Let's go find my brother before he gets himself into trouble."

Charlotte found us first, leading us to where Peter was waiting by the SUV in the parking garage. It was more impressive than I expected from a rental company. It was a Mercedez-Benz, I could recognized the logo, but beyond that I didn't know much about cars besides that it was black and shiny with tinted windows.

"Wow, you got this from a rental place?" I asked.

"We didn't use Hertz." Peter said, rolling his eyes. "Since this trip is on the Major, we upgraded and got something nice."

"I didn't even know you could do that." I said.

"We do have a slight problem." Peter pointed outside to the sun breaking through the clouds. "I hope you're up for driving little belle." He said, tossing me the keys. I panicked as they flew toward me, praying I would catch them. Jasper saved me from embarrassment by snatching them out of the air and handing them to me with a grin.

"Sure, I'm used to city driving. I grew up in Phoenix." I said, sending my thanks to Jasper as I accepted the keys.

"We'll just hide in the back, staying covered until we're out the city." Jasper told me. "Should be safe enough then."

He programmed the address into the onboard navigation system for me and then climbed in the back. All three of them had pulled on long-sleeved hooded sweatshirts. They looked they were about to rob a bank, but as long as they kept their faces away from the windows, it should keep the sun from shining onto them.

"Just out of curiosity," I said while pulling into traffic, "what would you have done if I wasn't here to drive?"

"Waited at the airport until night." Jasper said sourly. "Not the most pleasant of activities. I should have checked the weather before we bought the tickets, but I got lazy. I haven't had to worry about things like that in a long time."

Alice, I realized. She was better than the weather channel. She was very dependant on her gift, but I hadn't thought about how others around her became complacent as well. It was comforting to know that in this case it wasn't life or death, just merely inconvenient.

We didn't speak for most of the trip, trying to keep any information Alice picked up to a minimum. It made me feel paranoid to think she could be watching us at any moment. Once out of the city, the driving was simple, almost relaxing. The sun gave up trying to poke through the cloud cover and I started to get stiff after a while. I decided to pull off for a break. There was a sign for a Dunkin Donuts ahead, so I turned off the prescribed route the automated voice from the navigation system told me to take.

"Need a break darlin'?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah," I said, pulling to a stop. "I'll just be a minute."

Jasper started to get out of the car to join me, but I stopped him.

"I'll be fine, just wait here. It's just a coffee place." I rolled my eyes. Overprotective much?

"Sorry, I'm just a bit nervous being so close to where the Cullens are. You're right, I'm sure it's fine." He said, sitting back down slowly.

I wondered if there was any chance that they would actually hurt me if they knew I was here. I didn't think so. Jasper did look really tense though. I stared into his eyes, considering.

"Am I in danger from them?" I asked, not willing to dismiss his concerns without knowing all the facts.

"I don't believe they would hurt you normally." Jasper gave me a half-answer. "However, do you remember Edward's reaction to you the first day in Biology? If he came alone, he is no longer acclimated to your scent. Also, I wouldn't leave you alone with Rosalie, even before we left Forks. As for the rest... well if they know why I'm here it could cause resentment. I'm probably exaggerating the risk, but I'd rather be safe."

I did think he was exaggerating a bit, but his concerns was real to him and he was obviously uncomfortable. I decided to compromise. He was willing to let me do things my way, but that didn't mean I had to ignore his wishes entirely.

"I'll take Char, that is if you want to come with?" I smiled at her.

"I'd love to!" She bounced out of the car excited, grabbing my hand.

"Happy?" I asked Jasper.

"Very." He replied, letting me feel his relief while shooting me a grin that made me melt. I don't know what it was about his grin, but it was like a weapon. It made it impossible for me to think straight. If I'd had known taking a bodyguard would get that reaction, I would have let him come with me himself.

Charlotte dragged me toward the smell of coffee, it taking a moment for my legs to work properly again. I grinned at Jasper over my shoulder before returning my attention to the woman with me.

"Do you guys like sugar in your coffee or just black?" I asked when we got inside.

"Just black is better." She said, smiling. "Thanks for offering, Peter will be thrilled."

I placed the order for our coffees, mine with sugar. They were just brewing up fresh coffee and I told the girl at the counter that I'd be back in a minute to pick it up.

I motioned for Charlotte to follow me into the bathrooms which were luckily empty. Along the way I _decided_ I had to go to the bathroom, hoping that would be enough to deter Alice from looking. I knew how much human bodily functions tended to gross out the little pixie.

"Alice is disgusted by human functions." I whispered. "So we have a short time to get a message to Emmett. Unfortunately we can't tell the guys until the last second."

"Good idea." She said, her eyes lighting up.

I sent a text to Emmett asking if it was safe to call.

"Normally I think it's disgusting to be on the phone while using the bathroom." I told Char, embarrassed.

I went into the stall, sitting down on the toilet and waiting for his response. God this was humiliating. My phone rang a second later.

"Bella?" Emmett's cheery voice blasted through the speaker.

"Hey Em." I said as I started to pee.

"Are you going to be here soon? I don't know if I can hold out much longer." He paused. "What's that sound? Are you in the bathroom?" The humor in his voice was unmistakable. I was never going to live this down.

"Yes, Emmett. I'm Alice proofing this conversation." I tried to own it, pushing away my embarrassment and tried to be proud of my ingenuity.

His laughter made it hard to hold onto my bravado.

"Something funny Emmett?" I said, putting a hard edge to my words. "If you have a better way to keep her eyes off me right now, I'd like to hear it."

"No," He said, still laughing a little. "It's perfect. I just never would have thought you'd do it."

"Well, we don't have much time until she starts looking. We're close now, maybe 30 minutes away. Is there anyway you can get everyone out of the house for me except for Carlisle and Alice?"

"Might be hard. Why those two?"

"It's for Jasper, no time to explain. Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is divide and conquer. Can I count on you?" I knew making this into a game for him would motivate him to get creative.

"I accept!" He said. "I won't let you down baby sis. I can't wait till you get here."

"Soon. I have to go now. Good luck!" I hung up.

"He's never going to let you live that down you know." Charlotte said from outside the stall. "For the next hundred years he'll be telling everyone about how you pissed while talking to him on the phone."

"No he won't." I said confidently. "How long do you think it will take before I have something on him I can trade for his silence? A week tops, I'm guessing."

"You are so much fun." She laughed.

"Besides, I can always pull the sad face on him. I can swear him to silence and he'll actually do it." I said smugly.

"Wow, really?"

"I'm the baby sister after all. The job comes with some perks." I said as I finished up and exited to wash my hands in the sink. I combed through my hair with my fingers, making sure I looked okay.

"Bella." Charlotte said, looking nervous. "I'm really glad you'll be a Whitlock. I hope we can be close one day like Peter and Jasper are."

"I hope so too." I told her, watching her face in the mirror. She seemed to be debating saying something further.

"Just don't hurt Jasper. I can tell he already has feelings for you. Every woman he's ever cared about has broken him, I won't let it happen again." She looked fierce as she said the last part, every bit the deadly vampire she was.

She turned around, leaving me alone in the bathroom, the door closing softly behind her. I hadn't been expecting her to say that. I wasn't even sure what exactly I felt for Jasper. I was sure we were friends, but there was an undeniable attraction there.

What would happen when Alice was in his past, completely behind him? Would he want to pursue a relationship with me? Was I ready for that? I considered for a moment and realized that I _was_ ready. It had been about six months since my breakup with Edward and I had grown a lot since then. I had found myself in the process of healing and I felt ready to try again.

Was Jasper ready though? He was married to Alice for sixty years. Surely he needed time to get over her. I couldn't expect him to return my feelings, not yet. I wasn't even sure what I felt exactly, it was so new.

I left the bathroom, finding Charlotte leaning against the wall looking at her feet.

"I'm sorry Bella, I shouldn't have said that. I don't mean to assume anything about you, I am just worried about him."

"No, it's alright. I understand. Truthfully, I don't know what will happen yet. I don't want him getting hurt either." I squeezed her hand softly, causing her to meet my gaze. "I'm glad he has such good friends willing to fight for him."

We got our order from the counter and returned to the car. Jasper had moved to the driver's seat while we were inside.

"We got you coffee!" I told the guys as Charlotte passed around the cups. I took mine after I belted in next to Jasper. I grabbed his free hand, shooting a knowing smile to Char in the backseat as I did so. She returned it with an approving wink. Apparently having said her piece, she was happy to encourage our relationship.

When we were close to the house, Jasper warned us all to guard our thoughts from Edward's gift. Jasper had explained to me that Edward was easy to get around if you knew about his power. Just keep something in the front of your mind and you were free to think with the rest of it. It was much easier for vampires, but even humans could do it with practice, my father was a prime example of that. Edward was too full of himself to realize how fallible he was.

I hoped that Emmett's mission was a success. When we could see the house, only Carlisle and Alice were waiting on the front porch. I grinned, getting a strange look from Jasper.

"Where are the rest of them?" Peter said. "Do you sense them with your gift Major?"

"No, just the two."

"Operation Potty Break was a go." Charlotte giggled from the back.

This got stares from the guys. I laughed with her, proud of my brother bear for pulling it off. Jasper turned his stare on me.

"Care to explain darlin'?" He asked, confused.

"Alice is disgusted by my _human moments_." I said. "So I called Emmett while in the bathroom and had him clear the house. I figured we only needed some of the Cullens here for most of what we had to do. Better to deal with the important stuff first before the dramatics start."

"Divide and conquer." Char chimed in, sounding proud.

"I can't wait until you're one of us officially." Peter said, looking excited. "We're going to have so much fun."

"Tactical, as always, sugar." Jasper praised. "Well done." He squeezed my hand softly.

He pulled the car up, zooming around to my door before his even had a chance to shut all the way. I was expecting him to assist me out, used to Edward employing his vampiric speed to display his old-school manners. Instead, Jasper waited until Peter and Charlotte were flanking him, forming a wall before opening my door. By the time I got out of the car, I had three protective guards surrounding me, all alert for any dangers.

"Bella!" Alice shouted. "You're alive! I was so worried!" She tried to rush at me, but was stopped by Charlotte roughly shoving her back.

"Alive?" Carlisle said, confused. Everyone ignored him for the time being.

"Hello Alice." I said a bit coldly. "You were worried? So worried that you never called me or came to check on me?"

"I couldn't." She protested. "Edward said..." she began, but I cut her off.

"Don't." I was angry. "I don't want to talk about _him_, not until everyone's here."

"You just missed the family." Carlisle spoke up, looking concerned. "Emmett pulled some sort of prank involving Rosalie's corvette, Edward's piano, and Esme's rose bushes. They chased him off into the forest not fifteen minutes before you arrived.

"Impressive." Peter muttered.

I silently agreed. I hoped they wouldn't hurt him when they caught up with him, and that he kept them chasing for long enough for us to take care of what we needed to.

"Shall we go inside?" Carlisle asked. I was annoyed at how calm he was acting. He was always acting and I was over it. I wanted him to react for once, to stop pretending.

"Yes, let's. We wouldn't want the neighbors to see us standing out in the cold. Whatever would they think?" I said sarcastically. I heard Peter's muffled snort. Carlisle looked like I slapped him, but didn't comment as he led us into yet another Cullen mansion.

It was another of Esme's creations. Lots of windows, open concept, no color. I reflected on how much it was like her. Empty and devoid of life. I felt pity for her again, being forced to pretend for the sake of her _family_, when all she really wanted she couldn't have. Her son was forever lost to her and no matter how many new _children_ Carlisle found, none of them would ever be him.

Seeming to have ignored my earlier outburst, Carlisle offered me refreshments. I decided to play nice, for Jasper's sake, and politely declined. The four of us sat together, much like we had when facing off against Jacob and Sam. Unified against a threat, as a coven. I felt Jasper sending out security and reassurance to all of us in a wave and I absorbed it, happy to be included amongst his most trusted of friends.

"Before we get to the larger issues." Peter said, wrapping his arm around his mate and pulling her into his side. "I wanted to address our attempt at your diet, Doctor Cullen."

It seemed Peter was taking a cue from me and remaining polite. I could feel Jasper's relief seeping through from where we were touching. I wondered idly if he meant to project it or if it was just because of the contact from being so close together on the couch.

"I see you have returned to feeding from humans." Carlisle observed from the couple's eye color. His tone was disapproving, almost scolding as if a puppy had just piddled on the carpet.

"Yes, we tried your way and found it dissatisfying. We decided to remain on a normal vampire diet. Char and I would like to thank you for taking the time to educate us on the alternatives however." Peter said, surprisingly diplomatically. I didn't think he had it in him to be so politic. I noted that despite Peter's respectable wording, Carlisle tensed at the word "normal". The man needed to realize that he was the oddity in the room, not Peter and Char.

"Perhaps you didn't give it enough time." Carlisle countered. "I assure you, it gets easier over time. You just need to stick with it."

Jasper sent me a burst of disagreement. I didn't react outwardly, knowing it was meant as a secret message. I sent back understanding.

"We learned enough. More time ain't gunna change a thing." Peter said firmly.

I could tell Carlisle was winding up for more persuasion, and I wasn't in the mood to hear his preaching.

"Let's not talk about feeding, it makes me a bit uncomfortable." I lied.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Bella. Excuse my thoughtlessness." Carlisle said, his eyes wide. "Please forgive me, of course this isn't the time."

"Thank you Carlisle, I appreciate it." I placated him. I sent smugness to Jasper and got some amusement back. He knew full well it didn't bother me one bit.

"The family has been very concerned about you since our departure." He looked at Alice questioningly. "What were you saying before about thinking Bella was dead, Alice?"

"She believed me dead, didn't you hear her?" I answered. "I'm not, as you can see."

Alice just gapped at me, not knowing what to say.

"I'll discuss my life when the others return, I don't want to repeat myself. I only accompanied Jasper on this trip so that he could conduct his business. If it wasn't for _him_ I wouldn't have come at all." I told them sourly. I was thinking about Emmett, but I wasn't going to say that to these two.

"Jasper, I told you not to make contact with Bella. Only to check on her. Now I find you forced her to come with you? I'm very disappointed." He scolded.

I couldn't believe the nerve on him to act this way. Jasper was a grown man, not some small child and I was a grown woman, capable of making up my mind as to where I went.

"Doctor Cullen!" I interrupted. "I was not _forced_ to do anything. Neither Jasper or I are children and I won't stand by and watch you treat us as if we are." I glared at him. "I may not want to be here but that doesn't mean I didn't agree to come. You don't have the right to dictate my life."

I watched him deflate from his indignant pose to one of submission. I was shocked that he was so easily cowed by a human girl. How had he managed to survive so long? He barely even looked offended as he nodded at me, acknowledging my point. Jasper took over, before things could get any more out of hand.

"My business here," He began, drawing attention back to himself. "Is to formally end my affiliation with the Cullen coven." He pulled a leather cuff out of his pocket, laying it on the glass table-top. I remembered seeing it on his wrist in the past, it bore the Cullen crest on it. Next he pulled out his wallet and placed his identification baring the name Jasper Hale down in a neat row.

"What?" both Alice and Carlisle said in unison.

"I have taken back my rightful place as leader of the Whitlock coven, as well as my former name. Jasper Hale is dead."

The room went still. The kind of still that only their kind could achieve. It made me want to fidget extra, to make up for the difference, but instead I mimicked them, holding my breath.

"Son," Carlisle cracked first. "Why are you leaving the family? What have we done wrong?" He looked honestly heartbroken. I hadn't expected him to care that much, I had assumed it was an act, but the man looked as if he was going to cry if it was possible.

"It's time I moved on." Jasper took a deep breath. "I was a broken man when I first came here. You helped me with my depression, Carlisle. You guided me when I need it, brought me out of the darkness that I was stuck in after leaving the wars. You'll always have my appreciation for that, but I'm no longer able to play at being your child. I've never called you father, I've never seen you as such. I hope in the future we can be friends, but never again will I pretend to be your son."

"I always hoped someday, you'd accept me. To me, you'll always be my son." Carlisle sobbed, looking broken. I didn't completely buy it, he was just so dramatic. I wasn't sure if Carlisle deserved an Oscar for his performance or if we needed to find a vampire psychiatrist for him.

"That's not acceptable." Jasper said, some compassion in his voice. "I had a father who raised me right. I grew up and became a man in my human life. I won't regress, not even for your sake. I'm asking for your friendship, man to man. I won't tolerate anything less. If you can't give me that, then we must part ways for good."

"I'm not sure I can." Carlisle said a bit bitterly.

"Maybe in time then." Jasper nodded. "Would you mind getting my paperwork in order while I speak with Alice?"

"Of course." The older vampire said, fleeing the room. For once, he used his natural speed instead of his carefully maintained human act.

Alice hadn't said a word the entire time. She had curled up, holding her knees tight against her chest, her eyes glazed over as she went from vision to vision, searching the future for a way out. Jasper called her name several times but got no answer.

He gave me an apologetic look before getting up. Peter shifted me over between him and Charlotte, whispering "Just in case." to me as he did so.

Jasper gently shook Alice's shoulders, calling to her again and eventually, she focused her eyes on the room again, coming out of her trance.

"Jasper?" She said in a small voice. "Don't go."

"I'm going. You've seen it."

"But I'm not." She looked confused.

"No, you aren't." Jasper said kindly. He looked at the small woman with pity. She looked like a child the way she was curled up, sad and alone.

"Why?" Alice asked, sobbing slightly. "You were the first person I ever saw. We are supposed to be together!"

"Alice, I don't want to hurt you. Please remember that. I'm sorry for the pain this will cause you, but sometimes it has to hurt." He pulled her into his lap, soothing her as she sobbed. I couldn't even feel jealous considering how broken Alice looked. Jasper had been with her for so long, it was right for him to be the one to console her. If anything, I felt like an intruder witnessing it.

"Just because you saw me, doesn't me you saw us forever. We aren't mates Ali. If we were, I wouldn't be leaving now. I couldn't leave you behind if we were." He spoke softly in her ear, stroking her short black hair.

"We haven't really been happy for a long time. No matter how much you try to change me, I'll never be what you want me to. I'm tired of trying to change for you. Someday you'll find someone you don't have to change. Someone that is what you are looking for. It isn't me, Ali. I'm not him. I don't want to pretend anymore, let me go."

"No, I've seen it!" he shook her head frantically.

"Wishes aren't visions." He held her chin, stopping her movement. "Don't lie to me, I'm done with the lies."

Alice jerked her head back, jumping away from him with a hiss. Jasper watched her carefully, but made no move to approach her.

"Don't you dare use your gift on me _Jazz_!" She growled out. "You are nothing without me, don't you forget that. If you go back with _them_ you'll be back in your depression, suicidal again." Her eyes were thin lines. "Didn't you tell your friends that? How you were planning to kill yourself when I found you?" She spat out.

By the gasps out of Peter and Charlotte, I guessed not. Jasper hadn't even told me that exactly either, but I had figured he was in a pretty dark place from how he had described it. He may not have said he wanted to die, but every adjective he used was a red flag for anyone that had taken even the most basic psychology class.

"Is that true brother?" Peter asked, looking hurt.

"It was only a thought. I didn't act on it." Jasper looked terrified, his eyes wide as they met Peter's.

I watched Alice as the Whitlocks were hashing out this new information and saw the calculation in her eyes. That little bitch!

"Jasper, if you let her manipulate you so easily I will burn you myself." I said, keeping my eyes locked on her. "I already figured out from your story that you were probably depressed enough to be considering suicide, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people consider it at some point in their lives. The important part is you got through it. Your family loves you, and we won't let you be held prisoner by your past."

I felt Jasper send me a huge burst of emotion. There were strands of pride and affection, loyalty and comfort, affection and even some love. I closed my eyes for a moment when it hit me, unable to do anything but absorb it.

"She's right. If we had known, we would have helped you get through it. I just wish you'd have let us in." Peter said seriously. "I've got your back, always. Even if your enemy is from within."

Charlotte agreed with Peter silently, meeting Jasper's eyes with her own wet ones.

"Why Bella? He would have stayed with me!" Alice snarled. "We could have worked together on a plan to get Edward to take you back and been a family again."

I looked at her in shock. Was Alice serious?

"Alice, I don't _want_ to be with Edward. I won't take him back, not even if he begged me."

"Oh." She looked confused. "Well that's okay. You can still be my sister even if you aren't with Edward." Alice smiled at me.

"Alice, I'm not staying here." I said, staring at her. Her forehead creased.

"I can't see." She mumbled. "You disappeared again. Why do you disappear? What's happening?"

I sighed, ignoring her as she went back into her vision trance. The conversation was going in circles anyhow, so no one stopped her. I exchanged a look with Char, who was wearing an expression I could only describe as "What the fuck?".

"I guess we said what we needed to." I said as Jasper joined us on the couch again. Peter squeezed his shoulder, his expression still a bit haunted.

"Yeah, that didn't go at all as I thought it would." Jasper replied, looking a bit befuddled.

"The Doc's coming." Peter said just before Carlisle started down the stairs, composed enough to resume his human act.


	15. Chapter 15

**(Bella)**

Carlisle was much more composed as he laid the folder on the table next to the crest and the identification.

"All the properties and accounts that were in your name." He said simply.

Jasper looked through the folder. There were maybe a dozen property deeds in there and just as many bank statements. He separated them into two piles. One he set on the table, the other he left in the folder. Only a few documents remained in the folder.

"When I declared Jasper Hale dead, anything with Alice's name on it reverted to her." He pointed at the larger pile on the table. "So those aren't mine anymore. The rest I already had transferred to my new identity. I just needed the original deeds for the properties." He closed the folder around the few papers left in it and handed it to me to hold.

I sent him curiosity and he nodded at me. I opened it and peeked inside. There were deeds to two houses. One worth nearly two million dollars, the other just under two hundred thousand.

There were also three bank accounts. The first one I recognized, JPMorgan Chase, and it had a balance of $703,843.41 in the account. I could feel my eyebrows raise at the figure. I flipped to the next page, this account was for a bank in Singapore and the amount was for five million dollars. The next page was from the same bank, but this account had seven million in it.

I sent my shock to Jasper and he sent me back amusement. I wanted to ask him about it, but he sent me patience back. I closed the folder and decided we had other issues to talk about that were more important at the moment than his status as a millionaire. I eyed the much larger pile he abandoned, realizing Alice had just gotten a fortune handed to her.

Jasper took the folder back, winking at me before folding the papers in quarters and sticking them in his back pocket. I wondered if he intentionally handed it to me, knowing I'd want to look. He knew I was uncomfortable about money. I sent him a bit of suspicion and he smiled back.

"Do you need to retrieve anything else from the house?" Carlisle asked.

"No, the things I wanted were left behind when we moved from Forks." Jasper said sounding slightly annoyed. "I retrieved them already. Anything here you can do what you want with."

"I won't sign for a divorce." Alice said stubbornly.

"I don't need you to Alice. Jasper Hale is legally dead. You never married Jasper Whitlock, remember? You're a widow now, technically." He told her.

There was some commotion from the outside. Jasper picked me up, carrying me with him as everyone rushed out the french doors to see what the yelling was about. He set me on my feet just as a very muddy Emmett, just barely ahead of Edward, was tackled to the ground just outside the tree-line in the back yard. Rosalie and Esme weren't far behind, both screaming at him to stop running.

Emmett flung him off, jumping to his feet and barreling straight for me.

"Sissy!" He yelled, scooping me up and swirling me around in a bear hug, getting some dirt on me in the process.

"Emmett!" I wheezed. "Put me down! Can't. Breathe." I gasped out.

"Sorry." He said, not managing to look even a little apologetic as he beamed at me. "I missed you so much Belly Bear!"

"Missed you too." I laughed at his enthusiasm, trying to wipe off some of the muck he got on me.

I looked up, taking in the new arrivals. They all looked varying degrees of shocked to see me. Rosalie in particular looked like she had seen a ghost. She kept looking to Alice, as if expecting an explanation. Knowing she was in on my supposed death explained that. Esme looked somewhere between anxious, overjoyed, and her ever-present miserable. I let my eyes drift to Edward and my blood ran cold.

His eyes were jet black and he was completely stiff. I wasn't the only one watching him, Jasper was also watching him closely, his hand on my arm urging me behind him. I let myself be pulled back, keeping my eyes on Edward. I was peeking around Jasper's shoulder, I didn't want to take my eyes away, sensing the danger.

Edward dropped into a crouch, growling like a feral animal. I gasped, terrified.

"Mine!" He hissed, tensing and preparing to leap at me.

Jasper stayed in position in front of me, using his body as a shield. It was Emmett who reacted first, diving toward Edward. His large form may not have been as graceful as some of the others, but he made up for it in sheer volume. He pinned Edward to the ground, flipping him onto his stomach and holding his face into the ground. At the same time, Peter and Char flanked me, keeping me locked in between the three of them, making sure nothing could get to me.

"Not happening Eddie!" Emmett shouted, keeping the struggling boy from getting up. He hissed and fought on, refusing to give in.

"Captain, protect Bella." Jasper ordered, walking forward to where Emmett had Edward pinned down.

"Yes sir." Peter replied, moving to take Jasper's place in front of me.

Jasper looked back at me from over Edward's writhing form. His face held no expression at all, a blank mask, but his eyes were pitch black. I could tell it wasn't from thirst. He was beyond angry. Furious. He paced around Edward a few times, apparently using his gift because Edward had stopped struggling and was now completely still.

"Nice takedown Emmett." Jasper praised. "You can move now." It was phrased as a suggestion, but there was no mistaking it as anything but an order. Jasper's whole demeanor was one of authority and command.

"Thanks Jasper." Em replied, moving off quickly and standing with the Cullens.

No one dared speak as Jasper paced, Edward seemed to be playing dead on the ground. I wondered what the Major was sending to him to cause such a reaction. I didn't think it would take much to cause Edward to become afraid. He was too pampered to fight for anything, not even for me, I thought angrily.

"Get up." Jasper finally said. "And don't even think about going near Bella. She is _not_ yours and I better not hear those words from your lips ever again."

Edward slowly got to his feet, sending me a quick glance before Jasper stepped between us growling. He dropped his gaze quickly, and started straightening his disheveled clothes.

"I have something for you Edward, from Charlie Swan." Jasper said.

Edward looked up, confused. Jasper smirked before punching him square in the jaw, knocking him on his ass. Edward cried out, holding his face as a small crack appeared, healing back up seamlessly before my eyes.

"Jasper!" Carlisle called out. "Was that really necessary?"

"Don't shoot the messenger. The girl's father asked him to pass that along." Peter said. "Can't deny a man the right to wanna clock the boy who broke his daughter's heart now, can ya?"

"I won't have violence in my house!" Carlisle said, offended.

"Go hunt Edward." Jasper said in a cool tone. "But before I leave, you and I will have words. Don't take too long, because if I need to come find you, it will be worse on ya." He started to turn away. "And Edward, stay outside until we leave. We wouldn't want another _misunderstanding_. I would hate to have to do anything serious in front of Carlisle." The two locked eyes and I could see a silent conversation was going on.

Edward looked like he was sucking on a lemon as he turned on his heel, his nose in the air, and stormed off the property.

With Edward gone, I felt relieved. I hoped I wouldn't have to see him again but knowing him, he wouldn't let it go that easily. I resolved to stay close to the Whitlocks, knowing they would keep him away from me. Emmett smiled at me as we all filed in and sat on Esme's white furniture, getting mud on it.

"Alice said you were dead." Rosalie said bluntly. "When we checked your mother's house in Florida, she was getting rid of your stuff and removing you from her accounts. How are you still alive?"

"Rose!" Esme scolded. "How could you be so cold about such a thing? And both you and Alice thought something had happened and didn't tell us? How could you keep that from us?"

"It's my fault, Mom." Alice tried to look innocent. "I told her not to tell anyone, but I was only trying to protect the family. I was afraid it would cause problems for us."

"That wasn't your decision to make!" Esme shouted. "I had a right to know if another of my children was possibly dead because of me!" She sobbed, leaving the room.

I felt bad for Esme. I could tell how much the news hit home for her.

"Is she alright Jasper?" I whispered to him.

"No, she's thinking about her lost son I suspect." Jasper paused, concentrating. "She is in her bedroom now, but she can still hear us speaking. For now, it's best just to finish what we need to do here. I'll talk to her afterward."

"Okay." I said, holding his hand and sending him my concern. "I don't want to talk about Edward leaving again, would you mind telling them what happened?"

"Sure." He said, sending me some comfort as I settled back into Peter's side, hiding my face.

Jasper started with telling the family how I felt about the birthday party. How I wasn't frightened by him, like Edward had been telling them. How it was Edward's reaction to my blood that had scared me more than anything else that night.

"Something still doesn't add up to me about the situation." Jasper said, staring at Alice. "Why do you feel so guilty Alice? Before the party, I could tell you were up to something but I dismissed it. Now I feel your guilt. Explain yourself." His tone increased in anger as he spoke.

I pulled my face away from Peter's shoulder and watched. Alice looked apprehensive, almost like she wanted to bolt from the room.

"I don't know what you mean." She said defensively.

"Out with it. What did you do." He demanded.

"Do? I didn't do anything! It was you who tried to bite Bella, not me!" Alice yelled.

"He didn't try to attack me." I defended. "He had control the entire time. Do you really think Emmett's hand on his arm could have held him back if he really wanted to attack me? He's a warrior, a fighter. He could have taken you all out if he wanted to get to me, but he didn't." I said, pointing out the obvious. I could see I was getting through to them.

"I did wonder about that." Emmett said. "I mean, you didn't fight me at all when I pulled you out of the house. Edward was a snarling mess for hours, but the kid can't fight worth a damn so it wasn't so hard to get him out of there."

"I think the only reason he didn't go after me himself was he was too afraid of disappointing Carlisle." I said, looking at the man. "If it wasn't for you looking on, I think he'd have killed me."

"I don't know about that." He answered. "Edward has very good control, I can't imagine him hurting anyone, especially you."

"Were you asleep earlier Doc?" Peter said dumbfounded. "Didn't you see the little prince dive at Bella?"

"Well yes, but he was probably just being protective. After all, from his point of view, she was surrounded by red eyed vampires. I don't believe he'd have hurt the girl." Carlisle smiled proudly.

I couldn't believe the level of denial Carlisle had when it came to his son. I wasn't the only one who's jaw was hanging open either. All the Whitlocks and Emmett copied my expression. Even Alice and Rosalie were looking at him like he was delusional.

There was a smashing sound from within the house and Esme came out, blurring with speed.

"I can't believe you Carlisle! What does that monster have to do before you admit that he isn't your perfect son?" She spat. "I'm so sick of you defending him!" She screamed, throwing a vase into the wall, shattering it into a million pieces.

"Shit." Peter muttered. "She's finally going to break."

"Dear, please calm down." Carlisle stepped toward her.

"Don't come near me." She said, stepping back. She turned her glare on Alice. "Why don't you tell them what you've done. I'm not as blind as you think I am Alice. I've seen how you manipulate all of us to your every whim. Tell them how you engineered the accident at the party!" She demanded.

"Mother, how could you say that?" Alice said, feigning shock.

"Don't call me that! I'm _not_ your mother. My child is _dead_ and nothing will bring him back! I'm done pretending!" Esme screamed so loud it hurt.

Alice's mouth thinned into a line, her face petulant.

"Answer her now, or I'll make you." Jasper growled out, standing up.

"Fine." Alice huffed out. "I knew Bella would cut herself, but I did it for her. I knew Edward would never change her. He was just stringing her along. He was just fascinated by the fact he couldn't read her mind and entranced by her scent. Bella was meant to be my sister though, and she wanted to be a Cullen! I did it for her!" Alice defended.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Alice would have gladly doomed me to eternity with a boy that didn't love me just so she could play Bella Barbie forever? I could have died! What was wrong with her?

"Please don't be upset with me Bella. I love you, you're my favorite sister!" Alice pleaded.

"Really?" Rosalie said, examining her nails as if she was uninterested in what was going on. "Is that why you let '_your favorite sister_' get away from you in Phoenix Alice? Pretty careless considering how much you love _her_." She sneered out, emphasizing her jealousy towards me.

All eyes shot back to Alice, her guilt apparent on her features.

"That was a mistake. I didn't have time to plan, I thought it would work out, but Carlisle ruined it by telling Edward to suck out the venom. I mean, who _does_ that?"

Everyone shared a look, too stunned for words.

"Alice, I should have left you a long time ago." Jasper said dangerously. "You will do anything, step on anyone, to get what you want. The only person you care about is you."

"No!" She denied. "I love Bella, that's why I did everything! I wanted our family to be complete. She was perfect, we'd all be paired up and happy if only things worked out right. It's not my fault!"

"Shut up!" Esme demanded, slapping Alice in the face. "This _family_ is a farce. It was never perfect. It was an illusion built to keep Carlisle's dear son Edward happy."

Alice whimpered and curled up against Carlisle for protection. The family patriarch looked completely at a loss. His wife had gone off the deep end, but refused to let him near her. His so-called children were fighting amongst themselves, Jasper already leaving the family earlier in the day. His favorite son banished from the house for trying to eat the daughter he left behind.

The only one not involved in the mess so far was Emmett, which was unusual in itself as he was usually the cause of trouble around the house. His usually cheerful expression was gone now, replaced with one of pain and confusion. I noticed he subtly shifted himself away from the rest of the Cullens to his own armchair during the argument, watching the goings on from a distance.

People underestimated his intelligence because he was such a joker. Just because he lived life to the fullest, always looking for the humor in things, didn't mean he wasn't able to reason or appreciate things going on around him. He may think the best of people, but he wasn't a fool. He may not have wanted to consider that these things were possible of his family, but seeing them brought to light, he wasn't denying the truth before him.

I met his eyes briefly, both of us sharing a look of shock and sorrow. There was no good way to spin this situation, no joke on Emmett's tongue for this situation.

"Go on Jasper, I'm sure you had more to say." Esme said, sitting down in the other armchair, away from everyone. "I want to know what led Alice and Rose to believe Bella to be dead."

Jasper looked at me for permission and I nodded to him to continue.

"I'll get to that part, but first a few things. Edward never gave Bella the letters you wrote to her. That's why she never contacted us, not because she didn't want to."

Emmett simply nodded, already knowing this from the phone call.

"Why would he do that?" Carlisle asked confused.

"I'll get to that, but keep that in mind." Jasper said. "Because she could have used our help when Victoria was trying to kill her for causing James' death." He went on, ignoring the gasps and looks that passed between them. "Luckily, Bella had some help from an old friend of ours and Victoria was destroyed before she could carry out her threats."

I noted that Jasper was careful not to mention the wolves or Laurent. I was glad he was keeping them out of the story. I didn't want the Cullens to know that the pack had grown even more than they last knew. They didn't need to find out how much more aware the pack was now about the vampire world either. As for Laurent, he was better off not getting involved in this freak show if he could help it. Jasper was doing him a favor.

"I'm so sorry Bella." Esme said. "We should have listened to Jasper when he said not to leave her alive."

I noted that she didn't apologize for anything else, only for the risk to my life. It was all I could really expect from her. After all, I wasn't her family. She had made it clear that no one here was. Any decent person wouldn't wish another to be killed by someone like Victoria.

"I survived." I said simply.

"Edward took Bella into the forest the day he left her." Jasper continued in a subdued voice. He told them the details of how Edward led me into the forest and the exact words he said to me when he left, his recall as perfect as my own. I listened, trying not to let the words effect me. Jasper sent me positive emotions, which helped me keep my composure. It also helped that I wasn't the one having to say it this time.

When he got to the end of the story, he simply told them that I passed out on the forest floor and was found by a member of the search party Charlie organized, again hiding the presence of the Quileutes. I sent him my gratitude.

"Why couldn't I see her after that?" Alice said before anyone else got a word in.

"I didn't make any decisions for a long time." I answered, thinking fast. "I was catatonic for a little while, my mother wanted to put me in a mental hospital. I came out of it, but it took me a long time to recover." I hoped that would satisfy her, that she wouldn't figure out the true reason for the holes in her visions.

Emmett roared, flinging the chair he had been sitting on through the window. He stormed out through the opening it created.

"I'm going to go find that asshole!" He yelled, disappearing off into the trees.

"I hope he leaves some for the rest of us." Peter griped.

Charlotte patted his arm. "I'm sure there will be plenty left to go around honey."

"Bella, I'm sure Edward didn't intend to cause so much damage. You must have misunderstood him." Carlisle said. "Maybe you didn't remember correctly?"

Esme threw a lamp at his head.

"Ignore him. What that boy did was horrible. I hope you have sense enough not to forgive him for it." She told me.

"I don't. I'm not here to take him back. I wouldn't put him out if he was on fire." I assured the angry woman, my tone completely serious.

She gave me an approving nod. Before getting up, brushing some debris off her clothes from her earlier tantrum.

"Can I get you a refreshment dear? A snack perhaps? Carlisle insists we keep human food in the house, even though you are the first one we've ever needed it for."

I considered her carefully, a bit wary she was about to start throwing things again before deciding to go with her. This new Esme was interesting, I liked seeing her say what she was thinking instead of doing what was expected.

"That would be nice." I agreed. "Char, would you mind coming with me?" I asked, knowing it would appease Jasper.

Charlotte got up, following me to the kitchen with Esme, sticking to my side like glue. I think Char was a bit relieved to get out of the destroyed living room. It was a bit tense in there and although we were accompanying the cause of most of the destruction, I could tell she was more comfortable with the smaller grouping.

Esme sat down at the kitchen bar stool, looking overwhelmed. I reluctantly turned my back on her as I helped myself to the fridge, making a ham and cheese sandwich and grabbing a bottle of water.

"I'm not sorry for what I said in there." She finally said as I started eating. "I don't know what to do now. I don't think things can go back to how they were."

"I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did." I told her honestly. She looked at me in shock. "You've always looked like you were trying so hard, something had to give. I'm sorry, in a way, that my coming into your life is what finally broke things." I said frowning.

"Don't be." She said flatly. "I should be thanking you."

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked her hesitantly.

"No." She said after a moment. "Carlisle is my mate, I'm trapped in this never-ending hell."

She didn't speak any more except to tell me to leave my plate in the sink. Char and I returned to the living room to find the scene much as we left it. Esme drifted in behind us, staying in the doorway just watching. Jasper and Carlisle had been arguing about Edward. The man was still trying to defend his son. I was glad I missed most of it or I'd have broken my hand trying to hit him.

Rosalie looked livid, not just at Carlisle's reaction, but at Alice as well. She didn't stop there, she spread the hate to our party. I didn't think anything could please that girl.

I slid in beside Jasper and he calmed down, shooting me a small smile.

"Everything okay here?" I asked him.

"Yeah, it's fine." He told me a bit tightly. The dreaded "fine". I sent him some disbelief and he chuckled.

I could hear what sounded like thunder coming closer to the house. I was confused until Peter whispered to me that it was Emmett and Edward.

"Oh!" I said, realization coming to me from the few times I had seen the Cullens messing around. The noise was from their stone flesh colliding. I hoped Emmett was okay. I started to get up, but Jasper held me back.

"Just wait, we don't want Edward getting near you if he comes in first." He warned.

It wasn't long until the two burst through the trees. The source of the thunder was Emmett using Edward's own arm to whack him over the head as he ran for the house.

"Father!" He cried out. "Help me!"

Carlisle rushed toward him, using the opening Emmett made, the glass crunching under his feet.

Peter shrugged and we all followed. I was carried again, by Peter this time, both because of all the glass and to keep me away from Edward.

I started laughing as I got a better look. The expression on Edward's face was priceless. It was even funnier that instead of defending himself he was running to his Daddy, crying all the way. Jasper spread my amusement around until all of us were laughing. Even Carlisle was, albeit against his will.

When Edward saw Carlisle's reaction he turned on Jasper, using his only remaining arm to point at him. "You!" He gasped. "Stop that this instant!"

"What's the matter, Eddie?" Jasper taunted. "Don't like it when people use their gifts against you?"

The artificial emotions shut off abruptly. Jasper was still smirking, as was Emmett while he held Edward's arm like a baseball bat, ready to swing.

As soon as Carlisle recovered from Jasper's influence, he darted forward, retrieving Edward's limb. Emmett looked shocked at the angry expression on the older vampire's face, retreating back a few steps as Carlisle growled at him. We all watched as he mended the arm, holding it in place carefully so that it would attach properly.

The whole time Edward whined and moaned, acting like he was dying. I was sure it was an act. Not that it didn't look painful, but he struck me as the type that went for sympathy when he was injured and Carlisle was eating it up with a spoon, cooing comfort to Edward as he worked on him.

"Oh enough already." Esme finally said, cutting off Edward's complaining. "It isn't that bad, you can stop your whining now."

"Esme, this is a serious injury. Show a little compassion." Carlisle told her sternly.

"No." She said in a dead tone. "You need to choose. Your mate or your son. I refuse to put up with him anymore. Not after what he's done and how you continue to ignore it. I may not have a choice about being your mate, but I don't have to accept him anymore."

Esme began breaking apart the chair Emmett had thrown out the window earlier, making a pile of the pieces. I understood what she was doing, she was making a pyre. My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my head in shock.

"What?" Carlisle said, unable to believe what he was hearing. "I can't send him away, he's my son. And we can't be apart, you're my wife. I can't choose between you. Stop this right now."

Carlisle wasn't getting it. I poked Jasper, looking at the pile of wood and upholstery with question in my eyes. He nodded, confirming my suspicions. I reached in my pocket, pulling out the lighter I had brought from home and slipping my hand into his silently, making it look like I was just taking his hand in comfort.

His eyebrows shot up as he recognized the object I had slipped into my palm and his eyes darted back to the pile.

"Are you sure?" He asked me.

"Yes."

"Even if?" He asked, nodding toward Esme.

"If it's what she wants." I said sadly. I couldn't judge her for wanting to finally rest. She had lived a full life twice over, had enough heartbreak. If she wanted a chance to reunite with her son, it wasn't my place to stand in her way.

Peter and Char were close enough to see our exchange, though the Cullens were all involved in their own drama and weren't seeming to watch us very closely. We all leaned in together for a moment, touching each other, gathering strength for what was going to be no doubt a grisly scene.

"Choose!" Esme screamed, drawing our attention back. Esme had finished making her pyre now, the armchair would burn quickly when lit.

"I can't! I won't!" Carlisle screamed back, holding Edward to his body tightly.

"You already have." She replied, eyeing his position with scorn. "I've always known you put that horrible boy ahead of me, I just never wanted to admit it. I wanted to die and you wouldn't let me. I wanted to be with my son and you made me raise yours. I'm done Carlisle!"

I stepped forward, closer to Esme, Jasper following a pace behind me the whole way.

"Esme." I said, her head whipping my way. I held my hand out to her, palm up with the lighter resting in it. "I'm so sorry. I hope you find him."

Tears were leaking down my cheeks. She carefully took the object from me, caressing my hand as she did so. She gave me a beautiful smile, the first one I had seen that reached her eyes.

"I know I will. Thank you."

Jasper pulled me back swiftly, almost shoving me into Charlotte as he projected his anxiety.

"Hold her." He muttered to Char under his breath. To me he said, "Sorry, this is a lot for me to take. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, Jay." I told him, understanding he must be getting bombarded right now by his gift.

Even if he didn't think of Esme as a mother, he had still lived with the woman for a long time. This could't be easy for him. From my position in Charlotte's arms, I focused on sending him calm, reversing our roles. Usually he was the one helping people to calm down. I wished I could hold his hand, but he was too far away and Char had a solid grip on me.

"She gave you a lighter?" Edward said, shocked. "Why would Bella have a lighter?"

"Way to miss the point." I mumbled.

Esme didn't waste any time, lighting the furniture on fire. She darted to the tree-line, adding wood to the flames until it was a huge roaring bonfire in the middle of the lawn.

"Esme?" Carlisle asked, finally appearing to catch on. "What are you doing?"

"Finishing what I started on that cliff." She said. "Goodbye Carlisle."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Esme left you on that cliff, not me. Please review. :)**

**(Jasper)**

As soon as Esme recognized the object in Bella's hand, her emotions went from erratic to deadly determined. I was scared when she reached out toward Bella. I hoped I wasn't wrong to trust that the woman I had known to be so gentle in the past. I sent her a burst of caution, begging her with my eyes not to hurt this fragile girl that was already becoming important to me.

I saw her eyes flicker to mine for half a second, but she barely noted me. I was relieved when Esme gently took the lighter, caressing Bella lovingly in thanks as she took the gift from her. As soon as her hand was withdrawn, I pulled Bella away from the unstable vampire.

This was going to end badly. Even with an open flame, a vampire couldn't simply kill themselves. There would be a fight, and I was afraid for the first time in years. I shoved Bella toward Charlotte, almost too hard. I cursed myself for the loss of control as soon as it happened. I needed to get it together.

I barked out an order to the woman to hold onto her, knowing if there was a fight I would need Peter to help me keep everyone back from our position. Charlotte would be best as a last line of defense. Ideally, no one would get that far. I was probably over-reacting, but this situation was spinning out of control. I kept my distance from the girls, signaling Peter to fan out a bit as well.

I felt Bella sending me calm and I cracked a smile. She couldn't be more perfect if she tried. My head cleared a bit as the fear I was so unaccustomed to dropped away and I took courage from her. I evaluated the situation with my gift, sending out some of the calm I was borrowing from Bella.

Rose and Alice were standing farthest from everyone, both seemed too shocked to get involved. I dismissed them for now, however I'd have to watch Alice. She was unpredictable at times. Rose might as well be a statue though. Emmett was standing closer to Edward and Carlisle. He was staring at Esme, already mourning. Unlike those idiots, he could see this was going to end with someone's ashes. I was confident he would be on our side when the chips are down.

"She gave you a lighter?" Edward said, shock pouring from him. "Why would Bella have a lighter?"

"Way to miss the point." Bella mumbled. I mentally agreed with her.

As Esme lit the chair on fire, running to the trees for fallen logs to add to the flames, Carlisle and Edward finally caught on. The fire spread fast, soon blazing up into a huge bonfire, scorching the lawn and shooting up sparks into the sky.

"Esme? What are you doing?" Carlisle asked, stepping forward a little, still holding onto Edward.

"Finishing what I started on that cliff." Esme said, anger reflecting like the flames in her eyes. She turned away from him. "Goodbye Carlisle."

"Make it quick." Esme whispered in prayer, and that was all the warning I got before the woman who played at an unwilling mother figure for the last sixty years leapt at Edward, going for his throat. She managed to rip him from Carlisle's grasp, only the experienced fighters among us expecting her move.

It didn't take long before Carlisle bellowed out in rage and turned on his wife, attacking her from behind. I only considered for a second if I should intervene, but seeing two against one, especially against a female, didn't sit well with me. I grabbed Carlisle from behind, pulling him off Esme and restraining him.

"Let me go!" He snarled.

"No, this is between your wife and your son! You had your chance to make a choice and you refused!" I told the man, locking his arms behind him. "Captain! Emmett!" I yelled, getting their attention. "Make sure Alice and Rose don't decide to step in either."

"Yes sir." Peter said, moving in on Alice while Emmett grabbed his snarling wife.

Peter made sure to knock his charge down and sit on her, mussing her designer clothes in the process, grinning as he did so. Emmett was more gentle about it, receiving several slaps and much abuse from his wife's sharp tongue for being "rough" with her, although he was being very gentle as far as I could see.

I turned my attention back to Edward and Esme. They were rolling around, both landing a few bites, but neither making much progress. Neither of them had any fighting ability due to Carlisle's repressive upbringing. The coven leader taught his creations nothing useful about the vampire world, insisting on trying to maintain a human life, refusing to accept that they _were not human_ any longer.

Carlisle was screaming for them to stop constantly, but no one paid attention to him. Everyone was focused on the fight. Esme managed to pull off Edward's arm again, it was weakened from only recently being attached and he screamed in agony, gaining ferocity for a short time, tearing into her and driving her off him, inflicting some nasty bites and ripping her hand off in the process.

They didn't use words, only snarls as they battled, circling each other in crouches. Edward finally realized this wasn't a game but a fight for his life. Terror emanated from him in waves, desperation to survive made him fight harder. Esme was determined however, and both vampires inflicted damage. They bit chunks from each other, spitting them on the lawn.

Edward leapt at Esme, trying to push her into the flames but she dropped to the ground, dragging him down with her and taking out his leg at the knee. He fell on top of her, his teeth finding her neck. I held my breath, knowing this could very well be a fatal bite.

Esme's gurgled laugh startled everyone however as she jerked her knee up, throwing Edward off balance. He couldn't compensate with only half his leg supporting him and he rolled, leaving his own neck exposed. I found myself cheering Esme on, hoping she'd see the advantage and take it while she had the chance.

Instead, she continued to roll the pair of them, straight into the blaze. The impact scattered the neat pile of burning embers a bit, but the flammable venom leaking from their bodies ignited with a whoosh, hiding them both for a moment.

"No!" Carlisle screamed, renewing his efforts to break free. I pumped him full of lethargy with my gift, causing him to slump against me as he sobbed. He was still fighting against me, but he wasn't going anywhere. Peter and Emmett held tight on their charges as well, preventing anyone from doing something stupid.

Edward's scream rose up from the flames as the scent of burning flesh filled the air, but it was already too late. The wounds they had all over their bodies would allow the flames purchase, enough that there would be no saving them. Esme would have a faster death because of the fresh venom leaking from her neck.

Without injury, it could take hours to burn up in a fire, making escape possible if you were lucky. A painful experience that would take a while to heal from, assuming nothing was consumed completely. Ears, toes, and fingers were all vulnerable, much like with frostbite. Not common, most of our kind knew better than to play with fire.

Carlisle's whimpers lowered in volume thanks to my gift, now only soft whispers as he sobbed his grief. After a minute, Edward's cries ended as well. Esme never made a sound as she burned. Both their emotional signatures faded away, and I was sure they were gone.

"They aren't suffering anymore." I said aloud. "It's over."

Carlisle screamed again, agony radiated from him.

"Over? Over!" He demanded. "How dare you! They were my life! My Edward! She betrayed me, she left me and took my sweet son with her!" He raged, fighting my grip.

"Calm yourself." I told him with a shake. He snarled back at me.

"If you hadn't come here, this would never have happened." Carlisle accused.

He was acting more like a vampire than I had ever seen him do so in the entire time I had known him.

"I did not make your wife resent your son." I said calmly. "I'm sorry for your loss."

I picked the man up by his restrained arms, ignoring his protests. Setting him down with Rose and Alice, Peter and Emmett retreating back as Rosalie fell into his arms. I met Peter's eyes as I backed away, making sure I wouldn't be attacked when I turned around.

I gathered the pieces still on the lawn as Carlisle sobbed into Rose's shoulder, making sure everything was burned. I was worried Bella would be scared, having just seen sweet motherly Esme and her ex-boyfriend kill each other. I reached out for her emotions and was shocked. Bella was mostly calm, but there was pride as well.

I met her eyes briefly, feeling so insignificant compared to her. I wanted to go to her, but before I could move she pulled free of Charlotte's hold and took a step toward me. I know I must have looked like a nightmare. The fire was behind me, silhouetting me like a demon from the fires of hell. My shirt was ripped from struggling with Carlisle and my eyes were most likely pitch black from stress. She took another step forward and squared her shoulders, almost daring me to go to her.

My instincts were running high with the smell of vampire ash in the air. I couldn't refuse the challenge. I moved toward her slowly, stalking like she was my prey. Bella didn't even flinch, her eyes dilating as I got closer. Her emotions were fluctuating rapidly between so many things I couldn't keep up, but never did I feel fear or disgust. Pride... anticipation... appreciation... and lust?

My nostrils flared and I stepped closer to her, pulling her into my body gently. I felt her heart beating against my chest as I stared into her eyes, searching for answers. The girl confused me like no one ever had, I wanted to understand. How could she not fear me when she witnessed our kind fighting like she had? And she knew from my past I had done and could do so much worse. There was no judgement in her beautiful chocolate gaze. I stroked her delicate face with my free hand, unsure.

Her eyes darted to my lips and then back to my dark eyes. My confusion increased and I froze. I felt her emotions settle from their rapid cycling onto determination. She licked her lips, her breath teasing my senses as she moved her face closer to mine slowly. I felt her hands move up to grasp my shoulders, not seeming to care that my shirt was in tatters.

I closed my eyes, leaning my forehead against hers. I was overwhelmed, my instincts conflicting with my brain and causing me to lock up. I felt her right hand move higher, her small fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, tugging in a wonderful way, causing me to rumble out a small growl.

When her lips touched mine, it broke me out of my inaction. My eyes opened and I pulled her tighter against me, lifting her off her feet slightly, my hands supporting her easily and holding her head to mine. I kissed her back, her soft lips on mine waking me up and making me feel like we were the only two people on the planet.

Her lips were tentative at first, I could feel her nerves melting away as she relaxed into me, her body fitting into mine as she pressed against me. I moaned at the feeling of her warmth soaking into my skin even through our clothing. This was even better than when she was riding behind me on my bike. I kissed her back more forcefully, licking at her plump bottom lip. She gasped as I returned the kiss and I took advantage, deepening it. I felt her shock, but also her desire.

She tasted better than blood, I enjoyed her flavor greedily, stroking her tongue with mine. Every movement of our mouths together shot me through with desire and emotions I couldn't even label. We were in perfect sync, our lips molding together. I didn't want it to ever end, she was amazing.

Reluctantly, I did end the kiss, sensing she was running out of air. I kissed her softly once more as she gulped in air around my lips before pulling back. Unwilling to let her go, I kept her in my arms, pressed to me so I was able to look into her flushed face. The shock of what had just happened started to register. Bella had just kissed me, and it was the best kiss of my life. The horror of what had just happened in front of us was almost forgotten as I rode the euphoria of the moment.

"My timing sucks." Bella whispered.

I looked at her confused, not sure what to say to that. I was still basking in the bubble of emotions we were encased in, not willing to focus on anything yet.

"Oh, I don't know. It seemed perfect to me darlin'." I said back, kissing her softly, not able to resist now that I'd had a taste.

"Major." Peter interrupted. "Sorry to break this up, but I think we'd better get moving."

I was highly annoyed, but my second in command was right. We'd long overstayed our welcome here. Esme's breakdown, while coming for a long time, really made a mess of things. I was a bit peeved that I wasn't able to deal with Edward myself, but I allowed that Esme had a legitimate grievance with the boy.

I pulled Bella into my side firmly and faced the Cullens. Peter and Charlotte flitted over, standing with us.

"Wait." Bella spoke up. "What about Emmett. I haven't had my talk with him yet." She frowned.

"Young woman, I think you and your new friends have done enough." Carlisle said, regaining his dignity. "I want you all to leave, immediately!"

Emmett was standing slightly apart from the rest, looking between the two groups. He glanced at Carlisle's stern visage, then at his wife's hateful stare before looking into Bella's eyes longingly.

"But Carlisle," He started.

"No Emmett. She's brought nothing but destruction to our family. Edward loved her and now he's dead. The little tart has now moved on to his brother. Obviously I was wrong about her. She's only interested in our wealth and immortality. She'll do _anything_ to get it." He sneered. "Leave, my family doesn't need to hear what _you_ have to say."

"I told you she was trash from the start Carlisle." Rosalie smugly added. "Edward is... _was_... too good to see her for what she is." She said with false sadness.

Alice didn't say a word, just staring at Bella. She was feeling betrayed and hurt. She clung to Carlisle's arm like a lifeline.

I wanted to tear his head off for what he just said, but I restrained myself with difficulty. Carlisle had just lost nearly half his coven. I tried to be understanding, but if he said much more I'd be making room in that pyre for a few more Cullens.

Emmett continued to stare at Bella, considering. Each word out of his families mouths seemed to hit him like a lash. He didn't agree with them, he still cared about his sister deeply, despite the afternoon's events. He took a step toward us, tentative.

Rosalie snarled at him, slapping him in the face hard.

"How dare you!" She screamed. "You moron, she's just going to lie to you. She's going to trick you like she did to Edward and now Jazz as well!"

Emmett stumbled back, a small crack healing on his face as his eyes dropped to the ground. I projected his emotions to Bella, so she would know what he was going through. He was ashamed and a little afraid, but mostly he felt worthless, unworthy. I felt Bella's anger hit me before she spoke.

"Fuck you Rosalie!" She screamed. "_This_ is what I wanted to talk to you about Em. Are you alright?" She touched her own face in sympathy.

"I'm fine." Emmett looked away, hiding the crack until it was gone.

"Are you still here?" Rose rounded on Bella.

"Enough Rose. Let them talk and we'll leave." I said as I sent her some fear, causing her to retreat behind Carlisle.

"I wish I was already turned right now." Bella seethed. "I'd hit her back just as hard so she'd know what it felt like. Emmett you are _not_ a moron. You may be playful, but you are smart underneath your humor and if she can't see that, then she's the stupid one, not you. Who else could have pulled off the mission I gave you earlier so flawlessly?" She said, raising her eyebrow at him.

"I was pretty amazing, wasn't I." He smiled back at her, a small grin on his face.

"Mission?" Carlisle interrupted, glaring. "Son, what is she talking about?"

"You don't really think it was an accident that the entire family besides yourself and Alice was gone when we got here, do you Carlisle?" Bella asked, smirking. "Emmett was quite ingenious."

"He was just being a clumsy oaf." Rosalie snorted. "He tried to strap Edward's piano on my corvette to get it tuned in town, then accidentally reversed it into Esme's roses."

"Really?" Peter started laughing appreciatively. "Good going man!"

"Are you done?" Carlisle spat.

"Almost." I stepped forward. "Emmett, Carlisle failed to teach his _children_ much about what it means to be a vampire. I myself was fooled for a long time, believing in a mate bond that wasn't there."

"A real mate bond is different than a human marriage." Peter took over. "When you're separated, it's uncomfortable or even painful. You can locate each other by instinct, no matter the distance or obstacles between you. It's a pull, a connection between you." He squeezed Char tightly to him. "Look inside yourself, man."

"Enough!" Carlisle roared. "Ignore them, son. More lies, they are just trying to confuse you."

Emmett did look confused, torn between the only family he's known since his change and the words that he had just heard. While he liked Peter and Char, they were acquaintances to him in comparison. He trusted me and loved his little sister however.

"Let's go." I said softly, pulling Bella along with me. Emmett would need to figure this out on his own time. We had given him the pieces, it was up to him to put them together. She resisted for a moment before coming along with me. Peter and Charlotte flanked us as we turned.

"Wait!" Emmett yelled.

We had only made it a few steps when he stopped us.

**(Bella)**

I hated the thought of leaving Emmett behind with the remains of the Cullens, but Jasper tugged on my arm insisting. I accepted that I had done what I came to do. Emmett was a grown man, he would need to figure out the rest himself. I just hoped he listened, I hoped I had said the right things to get through to him.

I hadn't even processed the rest of the day's events yet, so much had gone on. Right now, my heart was heavy as we turned to leave my brother bear behind.

"Wait!" He called out to us. I turned around, hope making my eyes feel as big as saucers.

Emmett walked toward Carlisle, his face solemn. Seeing him make the move to join his family made me want to cry. I had failed, he didn't believe me at all. Carlisle must have convinced him I was some twisted little thing, responsible for ruining their lives. Kissing Jasper in front of them must have sealed the deal. I couldn't regret it, it was the best kiss I'd ever experienced, but I was kicking myself for doing it while two vampires burned only feet away.

"Carlisle." Emmett said, his voice unusually serious. "I owe you my life. Without you, I'd be dead right now."

"Son, you don't owe me anything. I was just glad I was able to change you in time." The older vampire smiled at him proudly.

"I'm glad you think that way, because I'm leaving." Emmett took off his leather cuff, dropping it at Carlisle's feet. "I'll have divorce papers sent here as soon as possible. Don't worry Rosalie, you can have everything. You never let me own anything to begin with." Emmett stormed off, chucking his wallet into the fire as he passed.

When he was even with us, he stopped. He didn't look at us, still looking forward.

"Jasper, can I have a ride into town? I need to get out of here."

Jasper just nodded and Emmett continued around the house. Rosalie made to follow him, looking furious but Carlisle stopped her.

"Let him go." He said to her, glaring at us.

We continued to the car where Emmett sat in the back row, looking out the window. He didn't move when we got in, not acknowledging us. Jasper changed to a clean shirt before getting in. I sat up front with Jasper and Peter and Char took the middle seats. We pulled out of the driveway, making our way toward the city.

The atmosphere was so tense I was afraid to speak. Instead, I tried to sort out what had happened today. As much as I wanted to see Edward suffer, knowing he was dead was a shock. That Esme was the cause was unbelievable.

I wondered if the remaining three Cullens would cause problems for us. If I had to guess, I would say yes. Alice had to feel something seeing me with her ex-husband. She was manipulative and sneaky, she was probably plotting right now. Carlisle would be right along with her, and Rose was never on my side. Jasper took my hand, squeezing it softly.

"Are you going to be alright?" He asked as he drove.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking." I answered quietly, not wanting to disturb the silence too much.

"You better call home while we have a break. When we get in the city we'll be busy again. You promised your friend and we don't need them to get nervous and show up to investigate." Jasper told me.

He was right, I had told Jake I'd call. I just didn't know what to tell him. I sighed and nodded. I took a few deep breaths, trying to summon up a cheerful attitude before hitting send on my phone.

"Hello?" Jake answered.

"Hey Jake, just checking in."

"Bells! Finally!" He said. "I was getting worried, your flight landed ages ago."

"Yeah, I wanted to wait until after we visited the Cullens." I told him.

"How'd it go?" He asked, concerned. Jake saw how upset I got just telling him about them in the clearing.

"I'm okay." I told him, keeping my voice even.

"I don't believe you." He growled. "What happened? Did that asshole do anything?" I didn't have to ask who he meant.

"Umm... it's a long story." I sighed. "Edward's dead Jake."

"What? When did that happen?" He didn't sound unhappy with the news.

"Today." The word came out short and flat. "Esme too. Look Jake, I really don't want to go into it right now, okay?" My voice strained a bit and I took another deep breath.

"Sure Bells, sorry. Everyone else alright?" He asked. I was almost touched that he was concerned.

"Yeah, everyone that matters is with me now." I answered, looking over my shoulder to reassure myself that Emmett was listening. He met my eyes and gave me a shy smile.

"So when are you coming back?"

"We haven't gotten back to the city yet." I answered. "We only just left the Cullen place."

"So you flying tonight?" Jake pressed.

"Jasper's plan was to get a hotel for the night." I met Jasper's eyes and he nodded. "I do need to sleep you know, not all of us can go days without rest." I mocked him lightly.

Jake mumbled something I didn't quite catch before telling me to be safe. I promised to call when I had more solid plans and hung up. Peter started laughing and I turned around, raising my eyebrows.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Your wolf friend." He said.

I was confused. He didn't say anything funny, not that I heard anyhow. I realized whatever Jake mumbled must have been audible to Peter.

"What did he say!" I demanded, annoyed.

"Oh nothing much." More laughing. I glared. "Just that you'd better still be a virgin when you get back."

My jaw dropped and I felt a blush rise on my cheeks.

"_That_," I said, "is none of his or your business." I turned around, crossing my arms over my chest. I spent the next hour staring out the window, ignoring Peter. I could still almost feel his amusement, like I was borrowing Jasper's gift, as he whispered to Charlotte behind me. I refused to even look at Jasper, not feeling brave enough to meet his eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter. I haven't been feeling well and just the thought of sitting in front of a keyboard made me feel worse. I did think up a few more plot twists, so there is that to look forward to!**

**The last chapter posted got us up to 200 reviews! I want to thank kirifox for posting #200 and thank everyone else who has been reviewing and sharing their thoughts and opinions.**

**(Bella)**

Jasper let me pout for a little while before grabbing my hand back. I checked his expression carefully, but there was no sign he was dwelling on Jacob's slip about my status. I didn't want Jasper to mock me for it like everyone else was. I smiled back at him shyly.

We were getting close to the city now, the traffic picking up. Luckily, the skies hadn't cleared up since the morning so my crew didn't have to hide out.

"Any preference or can I pick where we stay?" He asked me.

"Whatever is fine with me." I appreciated that he gave me the option instead of just taking over. He considered for a moment.

"Have you ever been to New York City before?"

"Nope, first time."

Renee had wanted to go once, but I vetoed the idea. She loved vacationing, but when she suggested we go to NYC for New Years celebrations, it was the year 2000 and I was a little worried about the y2k computer bug causing problems. I managed to talk her out of flying. I wasn't afraid of the world ending or something so dramatic as that, but the thought of getting stranded because flights were canceled didn't sound like my idea of a good time. She pouted the whole time and then rubbed my face in it when nothing happened.

"I've got somewhere in mind then, a bit fancier than I'd usually go for, but the view is amazing." His smile convinced me. "Emmett, you'll be getting a room with us?" Jasper asked.

No one had discussed Emmett's plans yet. He left the Cullens, but he had nothing with him besides what he was wearing. He hadn't even said he'd stay with us, just that he needed a ride.

"If you wouldn't mind." Emmett said uncomfortably. "I can't pay you back for a while."

Jasper frowned. "I don't expect you to."

"Thanks." Emmett nodded, looking away.

I could tell he was feeling out of place. I could relate. I had a hard time accepting things from people too, especially when they were extravagant. I had a feeling this hotel Jasper was taking us to was going to be over the top. I balked if someone tried to buy me lunch, nevermind spend hundreds on a room.

Jasper made a call and secured us rooms at Langham Place. I hadn't heard of that hotel before, but I was sure it would be opulent. My fears were confirmed when he asked for the "Empire residence with the additional bedrooms". In my head, that sounded impressive.

As we got into the heart of Manhattan, the skyline made me stare wide eyed out the window. I recognized many of the landmarks from movies and books, but actually seeing them was another matter. I spotted the Empire State Building and pointed it out, excited. Jasper chuckled and pulled the car over. I looked at him confused.

Several uniformed doormen approached the car, opening the doors for us and taking our bags. I looked around as I stepped out of the car. The hotel was a skyscraper in it's own right, but sitting in the shadow of the Empire State Building itself. I concentrated on keeping my mouth closed, trying to look like I deserved all the attention the staff was lavishing on us.

Jasper handed over the keys and a valet drove off with the car. He joined me after that, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me along with him as we entered the building together at the head of our party. The lobby was beautiful and very modern looking.

Jasper led me to the desk and a small woman dressed in a designer business suit greeted us with a smile.

"How can I help you?" She greeted.

"I called ahead, the Whitlock party." Jasper said, sliding his black credit card to the young lady.

"Of course. Your room is ready, I'll have your luggage sent up immediately." She took his card, swiping it and typing quickly on the computer. "If you'd like to know about the services we provide or need anything at all, your personal assistant will be glad to help you." She handed back his card along with the keys.

"Thank you ma'am."

A man seemed to appear beside us and asked us to follow him to our rooms. Jasper led me away and we rode the elevator. We rode up to the 27th floor, the man with us, who introduced himself as Stephan, our personal assistant, explained that the entire floor was ours for the duration of our stay and we'd have complete privacy. Jasper declined the tour, telling the man that we would like to relax on our own after traveling.

Once Stephan left, I spun around and took in the room. I was standing in a large living room with floor to ceiling windows. I could see the entire city and it made me both excited and a little dizzy.

"Jasper this is fantastic!" I squealed.

"I told you, the view is spectacular." He grinned. "Come on, I'll show you around."

There was a full kitchen off of the living room. It even had a small dining room. There were two bedrooms in the main suite, each with a bathroom. Two more one bedroom suites were ours as well. Each bedroom had a massive and very comfortable looking bed as well as more floor to ceiling windows. I ran to them to look out on the different views of the city. The bathrooms were bigger than my room back in forks. The soaking tub made me want to climb in and not get out again for a week. The elaborate walk in shower looked really tempting too.

"Which one's ours?" I asked as I walked into one of the bedrooms, my exploring complete.

"The floor actually has four bedrooms, but if you're inviting me to share..." Jasper pulled me into his arms, leaning his face close to mine. His lips barely grazed mine and I moaned softly, reaching for more.

He pulled back teasing me, his eyes mischievous. I tangled my hands in his hair, trying to tug him back down. Jasper resisted, smirking as he walked us backward until my knees hit the bed. He held me up, not letting me fall back. The contact made me completely aware of where we were however. My eyes popped open wide and I froze.

Sensing my realization, Jasper chose that moment to strike. He bent down to my face, his lips fully connecting with mine this time. He cradled my head to his, kissing me firmly, his hard lips commanding mine and stroking them with his tongue asking for entrance. I gave it, meeting his advances with my own. His kiss made me forget my shock, arousal flooding my senses in it's place.

He pulled back, still holding me with my legs pinned between his and the king sized bed.

"I'm going to go check on everyone. You let me know where I should put my things." He winked at me before letting me slump down to sit on the bed and leaving the room in a rush.

I flopped back, panting and stared at the ceiling. Wow. I'm not sure I'd survive having him here if he kept kissing me like that. On the other hand, I'd be insane to send him away. I wanted to talk to him more before we made our relationship any deeper. I thought I did anyhow, until he kissed me, and then I wasn't so sure.

I groaned at my own ridiculous thoughts, getting up and washing my face in the amazing bathroom. I looked in the mirror, noticing my slightly puffy lips and giggled. Who was I kidding. The extra room was going to waste.

I made my way out to the living room, finding Emmett sitting in front of the television flipping through the channels. I sat next to him, snuggling into his side. He wrapped his massive paw around me, giving me a grin.

"Hey sis, you like the rooms?" He asked.

"Yep." I answered. I tried to guess if he was up for talking but I couldn't be sure. He asked such a safe question. I decided to throw him a bone. I nodded toward the door I just came out of. "That's me and Jay's room."

"You and _Jay_?" He said, grinning wider.

I shrugged, looking at the television which had stopped on an infomercial for vacuum cleaners as if it was very interesting. I wondered if Jasper heard me from wherever he disappeared to. When I didn't go on, Emmett nudged me playfully.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Why would you need to share a room with Jasper. There are four bedrooms." He smirked.

"Well, you never know." I said smoothly. "Peter is bound to do something and might end up needing it when Char kicks him out of hers."

"Hey!" I heard Peter yell from the other bedroom in the suite. I could hear Charlotte laughing and Emmett and I joined in.

Peter and Char came out and joined us in the living room.

"She's got a point." Charlotte said, sitting next to me. "Maybe you should just put your stuff in there and save the trouble of moving it later." She told Peter.

Peter hissed at me for giving her the idea.

"Captain!" Jasper said, walking into the room. "You better not be hissing at Bella." He glared.

"But Major! She said..."

"I don't care." He stalked forward, looking aggravated. "Hiss once more, and you'll be moving your stuff into the spare room."

Jasper's face twitched with a repressed smile and Peter's jaw dropped.

"Damn y'all are evil." He sat back in the chair and laughed. "It's good to have you back brother."

"It's good to be back." Jasper said. "Let me put my things in my room and we can figure out where to go from here." He looked at me in question and I nodded. His smile lit up his whole face and he zipped into _our_ room with his bag, reappearing a moment later empty handed.

"First thing, we need to get you some new documents Emmett. You aren't going to get very far with no ID and no money." Jasper said. "I'll get my lawyer on it first thing, unless you have your own you'd like to use?"

"I don't have my own lawyer. Rose said I was too irresponsible to handle dealing with legal matters or finances." He mumbled.

"Mine is in Seattle, but we can get him working on it." Jasper said, frowning at the new information. "Any objections to increasing to five?" He directed to Peter and Charlotte. Jasper already knew I thought of Emmett as a brother.

"No sir." Peter said, smiling.

"None here." Charlotte said, looking past me to Emmett.

I smiled huge, winking at Emmett's stunned face.

"Alright then. Emmett, I'd like to offer you a place in the Whitlock coven officially." Jasper stood up, holding out his hand. Emmett looked at him, his face serious. He pulled his arm away from me and stood up, taking Jasper's hand and the two men hugged, slapping each other's backs in a manly way.

"Thanks brother." Emmett said sounding choked up.

"Enough of that now." Peter chuckled. "We're manly men here in the Whitlock coven. None of that girly stuff allowed." He winked, giving Emmett a hug of his own.

Emmett made the rounds, hugging Charlotte next, then me. I had to remind him like usual not to crush me and he laughed and messed up my hair.

"So when I get your new IDs, you want McCarty or Whitlock. I won't be offended either way. I'm not like Carlisle, you don't need to take my name and you don't need to wear my crest." Jasper went on when we were all reseated. Emmett was smiling much like his old self, only a shadow of his sorrow lingering in his eyes.

"I would say go with McCarty, but your idea with Alice got me thinking. I married Rose with McCarty once and I'm worried she'll use it to come after me." He thought out loud.

"The lawyer can stop her, but it's up to you."

"I'd rather not have to worry. All of you are Whitlocks, right?" Emmett looked around. "Except Bella."

"For now." I told him. "After I change, I'll be a Whitlock." I locked eyes with Jasper.

"Might as well go with Whitlock then. Don't want to feel left out. Will save me the trouble of a divorce." Emmett squeezed me and smiled.

Jasper smiled at me, sending me his pride before dialing the lawyer. The man seemed eager to please and the phone call didn't take long. I gathered it would take a week for the documents to be finished and Jasper had them shipped to Montana. Jasper told the lawyer to make sure Emmett McCarty and Cullen were both dead and have copies of the death certificates sent to the widow Rosalie Hale. He pulled the folded up papers out of his back pocket and had both offshore accounts transferred to Emmett's name while he was on the phone.

"Jasper, you shouldn't have done that." Emmett protested when he hung up.

"It's nothing. Just some start up money." Jasper shrugged, handing him the papers with the account numbers. "I have a lot more that Alice never knew about."

Emmett reluctantly took the pages, pocketing them.

"Just how rich are you?" I said amazed, covering my mouth as soon as the words came out. I felt his amusement hit me hard.

"I'm not even sure really." He said seriously. "Last I checked, I had 16 billion and something, but that was fifteen years ago. I haven't been able to look or else Alice might find out. That was before I invested in Apple right before the ipod came out, among other things, so I'd suppose quite a bit more."

"Wow." I said shocked. "So this," I waved my hand at the expensive hotel room. "Is nothing really."

"Nope. I could buy the entire hotel." He smirked.

"Nice job Bella." Emmett whispered. "You found a sugar daddy." He winked comically.

I laughed, hitting him with a throw pillow.

"Money doesn't mean much to me." Jasper said, rolling his eyes. "I'd rather live simply than in a mansion." He looked uncomfortable taking about it.

"Exactly." I said, drawing attention off him. I felt his relief.

"So Emmett, now that you're a Whitlock, I'd better let you know how the coven works." Jasper said taking control of the conversation again.

"I'm sure it's nothing like Carlisle said _traditional_ covens are." He hedged.

"Best to ignore what he said probably." Jasper nodded. "Eat what you want, Montana has plenty of wildlife if you want to stay veggie. If you want to go traditional, Peter and Charlotte have a system set up that keeps the humans from growing suspicious." He addressed what was the most obvious objection of Carlisle's first. We don't play at being human, so no more high school. No playing house and I'm not your Daddy.

"I'm the leader of the coven and I'll have final say if there's a need, but we decide things together for the most part. As long as you remember that I'm in charge, there's no problems. Peter is my second in command, so if I'm not around, it's his decision that goes. For the most part you'll figure it out just by observing, there isn't a lot of formality."

"Sounds easy enough." Emmett said relieved.

"You'll need to learn to fight properly." Jasper said. "And I don't mean like we used to play fight with the Cullens. Really fight. With where we came from, sometimes people come looking for us to prove their tough or to settle old scores. You need to be able to handle yourself."

"Excellent!" Emmett grinned pounding his hand into his fist. "I could tell you were holding out on me."

"We'll see how much you like it when you're eating dirt." Peter chuckled.

I laughed at the boys. I hoped I got to watch Emmett get his ass handed to him. He was always looking for a fight, not in an aggressive way, but playfully. I was sure he'd be sorry he ever agreed to it by the time those two whipped him into shape. I wondered if vampires could get bruises.

"I can take him." Charlotte said, eyeing him critically.

Emmett looked at her in shock causing everyone to laugh.

"She can actually." Jasper said. "Don't worry Em, we'll teach you."

I didn't doubt it one bit. Charlotte may be small and delicate looking, but I had seen hints of how ferocious she could be already. I remembered the look in her eyes when she warned me to treat Jasper right in the bathroom on the way to the Cullen house. Just because she only spent a year in the wars didn't mean she was any less of a warrior than the Whitlock men.

Jasper was there the longest, but Peter had spent a fair amount of time there as his second in command. If I could assume anything about the man, it would be that after leaving the fighting he would have taught his mate everything he knew about fighting. Peter would insist she be able to take care of herself, to be ready for anything. Charlotte might even be more deadly than Peter. She was so small and cute, no one would think her a threat until it was too late.

"We need to get ahead of the Cullens." Jasper said breaking us from our distraction. "They'll be spreading their version of events around and we need to make sure our side of things is out there as well."

"Who do we call first?" Peter asked.

"I'd better call the Volturi." He grimaced. "I didn't want to talk to them until after Bella's change, but this complicates things. I think we should inform them of Carlisle's indiscretion in allowing Bella to know about our kind as well. She'll be changed soon, so it should be alright."

"I agree." I said, feeling nervous just the same. "It won't be long now. I just need to say goodbye and we can do it when we get to Montana."

"Are you sure Jazz? Aro is pretty tight with Carlisle." Emmett said.

Jasper cringed. "I forgot a rule. Don't call me Jazz. That's what Alice called me, even though I told her not to." He grinned. "Jay is fine if you want to shorten my name. Bella came up with that one."

"Oh, sorry man. I didn't realize. I always pictured a pomeranian anyhow whenever Alice would whine out 'Jazzy'."

"Exactly." Jasper frowned. "Anyhow, I wasn't calling Aro. I was planning to call Caius."

"Isn't Aro the one in control though?" Emmett questioned.

"According to who? Carlisle?" Jasper raised an eyebrow. "They rule equally. Carlisle thinks that way only because he's friends with Aro. I met Caius back when I was involved in the southern wars."

"Something Laurent said got me thinking." I interrupted. "He mentioned how much vampires gossip. The Denali sisters, they wouldn't happen to be the gossiping type would they?"

"Wait, you talked to Laurent?" Emmett said, staring at me.

"Yes." I said, annoyed. "I just figured with their _lifestyle_, they must meet a lot of people. So are they gossips?"

"The worst." Jasper confirmed.

"Call them first then." I said. "We need news to start spreading now."

"I could call Tanya." Emmett volunteered. "She and I have been friends forever. I think it started out as a way to piss of Rosie, but we actually get along really well." He turned to me and smirked. "Tanya and Rose don't get along very well. Rosie likes to think she's the most beautiful woman in the world and so does Tanya."

"Perfect." Jasper smiled. "Tanya's the leader of the coven, so that's even better than talking to Eleazer. I can call the Volturi at the same time. I don't want to insult them by informing them second."

"Anything I shouldn't say?" Emmett asked.

"Just tell the truth." Peter shrugged. "But keep it to what happened today only."

"I'm on it!" Emmett beamed and took off to his room.

It was silent for a moment and I looked to Jasper, waiting for him to make the next move. He led his coven easily, without having to put on airs. He listened to everyone and they respected his decisions naturally. It was obvious to anyone looking on who he was to us, even if they didn't know our dynamic. I was proud to be a part of this group.

"Before I call, I want to make sure everyone knows what to expect. Caius isn't a very pleasant guy, he comes off as rude most of the time. Don't take it personally, it's just how he is. Also, don't speak unless he asks you something. He's a king and will demand respect."

We all nodded. Jasper made the call and put it on speaker so that I could hear as well. A woman answered in Italian and I hoped the whole conversation wasn't going to go this way or I wouldn't understand a thing. Jasper gave his name and asked to speak to Caius.

He was put on hold for a minute and took the time to move to Emmett's vacated seat, pulling me against him. I leaned into his body, taking comfort from his presence. Charlotte seemed to like Jasper's idea, but instead of sitting next to Peter, she just sat on his lap instead.

"This is Caius Volturi." A voice came out of the phone, startling me.

"Jasper Whitlock, sir. I have news I thought you and your brothers would like to hear."

"I was hoping to hear from you. Aro just received a call from his friend Carlisle. He was very upset about something."

"I expected Carlisle would be contacting Aro." Jasper said in a calm voice. "My coven is with me on this call except for one member."

"Your coven? My, you do have news."

"Yes sir, there is much to report."

"Get on with it! Start with introductions and then tell me how you came to be leading your own coven. I assume you _are_ leading?" Caius said sharply. "I couldn't believe it when I heard you submitted to _Carlisle_ of all people, please tell me you haven't sunk any lower."

"I'm leading, sir." Jasper said, ignoring Caius' commentary. "I reformed my previous coven from before the Cullens. A mated pair I sired while serving Maria, one of Carlisle's children who just joined me today, and a human woman who will be changed as soon as I return to my territory.

"A human!" Caius hissed.

"For now." Jasper said. "Carlisle's coven exposed our kind to her a year ago. She will be in my personal custody until her change. After that she will be one of mine." There was a long pause.

"Acceptable." Caius hissed. "Tell me what led to this exposure?" I could feel Jasper sending out relief. One large problem was behind us. The kings didn't order my immediate death.

"Carlisle's son Edward had a romantic relationship with the girl, who was also his singer. He broke it off in September, convincing Carlisle to move the coven and leave her behind. I've since collected her and she is with me now." Jasper nodded at me and whispered for me to say hello.

"Hello, sir. I'm Bella." I said, feeling nervous.

"Tell me human," Caius said, ignoring my name. "Did Edward tell you of our kind?"

"Yes." I answered. It was true, Edward did tell me about vampires. He just wasn't the _first_. That was Jacob.

"He also told you of our laws?" Caius went on, sounding angry.

"Yes, sir. Humans aren't supposed to know unless they are to be transformed or killed."

"And you refused to become like us!" He accused.

"No!" I gasped. "I begged Edward to change me, but he wouldn't." I met Jasper's eyes, worried. I couldn't let the Volturi think this was my fault. "I have kept the secret and I will be changed very soon by Jasper." I said firmly.

"Major, were you a member of the Cullen coven while this was happening?" Caius asked, apparently done with me.

"Yes, however I was under orders to have little contact with the girl from the leader and his second. I protested our involvement at the start, but I was ignored." I thought about that statement, Jasper was overlaying normal vampire terms on the Cullens.

"I suppose that makes it alright to break the law?" Caius scoffed. Jasper remained silent and tense, waiting. After a moment, Caius continued. "I'll have Edward and Carlisle brought in for trial. I'm sure Aro won't allow his friend to suffer more than a slap on the wrist, but the boy will pay for his arrogance."

"Sir, that won't be possible." Jasper said carefully. "Edward Cullen was killed today by Carlisle's wife Esme. She is also dead, she took her own life while ensuring Edward's death."

"Really? Now that is unexpected."

"I believe the Cullen coven may have the misguided belief that Esme's suicide and the death of Edward are the fault of mine and my coven. I wouldn't be surprised if Carlisle and the remainder of his coven came to you on their own soon. I'm calling to ask that you reserve judgement on the matter for one year. Bella will be a newborn and will need time to adjust before she is able to travel."

"I doubt Aro will want to wait that long, he can be very impatient." Caius growled out. "Your request is reasonable. After all, if what you say is true you are cleaning up the late Edward Cullen's mess. I'll deal with my brother, you have your year."

"Thank you sir." Jasper said relieved.

"Don't make me regret it Major." Caius said, hanging up.

The four of us stared at the phone for a minute after the call disconnected. Caius had been sharp, but much more fair than I had expected. There was a part of me that was afraid he'd want me dead on the spot and when he accused me of refusing to be changed I wanted to throw up from nerves. Now that the call was over, I was having trouble releasing the tension that was locked in my body.

"One year." Peter said. "More than I expected."

"Is that long enough?" I worried out loud, biting my lip.

"We could have got you ready in six months if we had to darlin'." Jasper kissed my temple and tucked me further into his side. "Caius was feeling generous hearing about Carlisle's misfortunes. They don't get along very well. That's not to say he'll be on our side exactly. Caius is a firm believer in upholding the law to the letter."

"What about Marcus?" I asked.

"He lost his mate long ago. Instead of following her in death, he decided he had to remain alive to uphold his responsibilities as a king. For the most part, he's the tie-breaker vote. It's rare for him to offer up an opinion unless his gift is needed. He could go either way." Jasper my have felt my curiosity when he mentioned Marcus' gift because he continued on. "Marcus' gift is that he can see bonds between vampires and how strong they are. One of the issues that the kings have to resolve sometimes is disputes over coven members and mates."

"With Marcus, it's real simple." Peter took over. "He can see who really is bonded and who is just trying to steal people away. We'll probably have to prove Emmett is with us when the time comes."

"Most likely." Jasper nodded. "Marcus can also tell if a coven member is plotting to overthrow a leader based on the weakening of bonds. He works with Chelsea, a guard member, to keep the Volturi coven together. There are over thirty vampires in the coven. Chelsea's gift is to manipulate bonds, making them weaker or stronger. She can't create one that isn't there or break one completely though."

I was right about the Volturi being more than the wolves could handle. Over thirty vampires! Even if they weren't gifted, it would be a slaughter. A soft knock at the door proceeded Emmett's big head peeking in.

"Done with your call?" He asked before walking in the room.

"Yeah, they gave us a year before we need to go to Italy." Jasper told him. Emmett's face fell, fear spreading over his features. "They will want to see that Bella is changed and find out more about how the law was broken. I'm sure Carlisle will have spun them a tale by then about how I killed his wife and son and stole you."

"I'm too big to steal." Emmett grinned.

"You're also too big to fit in my luggage." Peter said. "We'll have to drive out to Montana since you don't have ID."

"I'll fly back with Bella if you three don't mind driving. Just buy something and drive it out. Emmett will need some wheels once we get there anyhow." Jasper instructed.

"We need to get you some new clothes too, you look like such a tool." Peter pointed out.

Emmett looked down at himself frowning. Luckily, when the mud he had been covered in earlier had dried the dirt had brushed away for the most part. His dark slacks barely showed signs that he had been rolling around in them. His button-up dark gray shirt looked a little more messy however. If he had been clean, he'd have looked preppy.

"Let's go, I'm sure Jay and Bella want some alone time." Peter winked at us.

"Okay, I want to pawn this thing anyhow." Emmett said, pulling his wedding ring off his finger as the three left us alone in the suite.


	18. Chapter 18

**(Bella)**

After everyone else left, Jasper and I just relaxed for a while. It was still early, barely past three in the afternoon. Jasper got online and booked our return flight. This time he checked the weather forecast before purchasing tickets.

"There's a direct flight to Seattle leaving at 8am tomorrow." He informed me. "As much as I'd like to show you around the city, I'm not sure it's safe to delay."

I nodded, I would have to say goodbye to Charlie quickly. I probably only had days left as a human. After that, I would never see him again. We had grown so close over the last year. I was so glad I had decided to move to Forks, even with everything that had happened. If I hadn't, I would never had gotten the chance to get to know my Dad. Before last year, he wasn't so real to me. Of course, he was always my father, but he wasn't a part of my life. Not like now. I would miss him.

The change was weighing on my mind as well. I wanted to become a vampire. At first it had been so that I could be with Edward forever, but my reasons were different now. It was more about me. I never fit in the human world, always out of step with everyone around me. I wanted to be strong, to be able to stand up for what I thought and let no one stop me from doing what I thought was right. If I was one of them, I was sure nothing would stand in my way.

I traced the scar on my wrist, hoping I could stand the process. It was impossible to forget the pain my brief encounter with venom caused. Three days of that, but worse, was a bit daunting. I steeled my resolve. I could do it, I would do it. It helped that once it began, there was no going back. Jasper wouldn't do something stupid like suck out the venom, even if I begged him to. I looked up to see Jasper watching me closely, his eyes following my fingers as they traced my scar.

Without a word he got up and walked over to me, taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom we had claimed as our own. Jasper sat me on the edge of the bed, taking off my shoes before removing his. I frowned at him in confusion, but he shook his head at me and continued on in silence. Jasper sprawled out on top of the plush comforter, turning on his side to face me.

"Join me darlin', please. Tell me what has you so upset." He pleaded with his eyes. I mirrored his position, propping my head up on my arm and laying next to him, our bodies separated by mere inches.

"I was thinking about a lot of things." I evaded. I felt his frustration. "Charlie, myself, the change, the future." I elaborated, not wanting to hide anything from him.

"A lot has happened quickly." He reached for my free hand, linking our fingers together. "I wanted to talk with you. It's going to be rare for a while that we get to be alone."

"Talk about what?" I asked, nervous that I had been worrying about all the wrong things.

"About what happened today." He said, confirming my fears. Jasper must have felt my anxiety because I felt his reassurance. "I'm not normally very good at dealing with my own emotions. Give me a hoard of newborns and I'm fine, but _this_... is hard for me." He grimaced.

"I'm not upset about Edward." I said quickly. "I may have been his mate once, but that bond was broken when he left me. I've had time to deal with it. I was actually a little surprised how little I felt for him seeing him again." I huffed. "Besides anger and betrayal."

"Good to know, but I wanted to talk to you about what happened after that." Jasper said. After that, I had kissed him.

I didn't think he _disliked_ kissing me today, I thought with a frown. I mean, he kissed me back after all. And he kissed me in this room, the room that we were going to share tonight. Was he trying to tell me things were going to fast for him? My earlier concerns about him having time to get over Alice bubbled up.

"Jay, it's okay. I understand if you need more time." I told him. "I had months to heal when Edward left, I don't expect you to be in the same place I am."

"No, that's not it at all." He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Bella, when we were in Port Angeles in that diner, I wished we weren't just pretending to be a couple. Alice and I have been over for a long time, I just didn't see it." His sincerity flowed into me. "I want to make sure you understand what you're getting yourself into first. I've told you my past, you know I'm flawed."

His face looked pained as he said the word flawed. I pulled my hand free of his, touching his face. He flinched as I traced a barely visible scar along his eyebrow, the light from the large windows reflecting off his skin just enough to illuminate it.

"Jasper, your flaws make you who you are. Without them you wouldn't be as strong a man as you are today." I traced another on his chin, he tightened his muscles as I moved along his skin softly.

"I'm hard to live with sometimes. I'm bossy and can be domineering." He stated, his hand circling my wrist, but not stopping me as I found another scar by his ear to follow with my finger. "I'm the jealous type." He told me, turning his head to kiss my finger. "I get in moods and go days without talking."

"I'll have to cheer you up then." I told him, moving my hand to his neck. The scars were thick here, criss-crossing each other. I was sure there were more I couldn't see with my weak eyes, but I caressed the ones I could find. He hummed softly, tilting his head slightly.

"I'm a killer Bella. Can you accept that? I'm not going to change. I won't go through that again." His voice was hard, despite the obvious enjoyment my fingers were causing.

"I don't want you to change." I whispered. I bit my lip as I reached for the top button on his shirt. I touched it, but waited until his eyes met mine. "I want to see." I said shyly.

"I have a lot of scars." He said. "Are you sure?"

I popped the button in answer and he leaned back, allowing the light from the windows to hit him fully as I opened his shirt. I kept my eyes on his as I worked, sending him confidence. I needed to see, not just because I wanted to, but because he needed this. I could feel his insecurity battling me as I slipped the material down his shoulders, exposing him.

When I finally looked, I was shocked at just how many bites he had suffered. There had to be hundreds of them. They formed a complex pattern, overlapping and swirling together. It almost looked like an elaborate tattoo, but much more sinister. I pressed my palm flat against where his heart should beat, into the largest of the scars. That scar wasn't from a simple bite. Jasper told me he was punished by Maria if he displeased her, but I hadn't realized the extent of her methods until now.

"Does she still exist?" I demanded, sending him my anger. I pressed my hand against him tighter, as if I could heal his pain.

"Yes." He said, watching my reaction closely. He put his hand over mine. "Don't be angry, it's over now."

"She did this to you." I shook my head, the outrage still boiling inside me. I examined the large scar more closely. "Why?" He hesitated long enough that I wasn't sure he'd answer me.

"That scar is one of the few I don't regret." He eventually answered. "I've never told the others, I don't want Peter and Char to feel responsible. That scar is the one I got for letting them leave. It was worth it."

"I hate that Maria did this to you." I said, looking into his eyes. "I want to hurt her." I crawled closer, moving so that I could kiss it, right above his heart. His cold flesh under my lips moved as he inhaled. "This scar is proof that you are a good man." I told him, sitting up.

I felt his appreciation and awe hit me as I examined the rest of him in detail with my fingers. I had to lean in close to see some of the details and I couldn't resist kissing some of the worst bites. Jasper didn't move while I explored, his hand resting on my lower back while the other remained fisted by his side. I could feel his emotions spinning from disbelief to contentment as I looked.

"I don't feel any disgust from you at all." He marveled. "No fear either."

"You're beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so." He sighed. "Because I plan to keep you for a long time, if you'll have me."

"I'd like that." I whispered, stretching back out beside him. This time no space was left between us. I wrapped my arm around his now exposed chest, tangling my fingers in his hair. I loved the feel of his blonde locks in my fingers. I nuzzled my nose into his neck and smiled, letting my lips rest against his skin. "Are we mates like Peter and Char?" I asked softly.

"I don't know." He said thoughtfully. "I've been wrong before, but there is a connection between us. At least, there is for me." He paused. "I can't promise you things will be easy. Just trust me and don't give up on me darlin' and I'll never let you down."

"I do trust you." I said, tugging lightly on his curls. "I think even if we aren't mates officially when I'm like you, that's okay. Anything easy isn't worth having anyway. Are you sure you want to be with me? I tend to attract trouble."

"Nothing I can't handle." I looked up to see his cocky smirk.

"We'll see about that." I said, raising my eyebrow at him.

He growled softly, rolling slightly to pin me to the bed. His eyes were darker than usual, reminding me he needed to hunt soon.

"Already challenging me. You are going to be a handful when you're changed."

I laughed, squirming free and pushing him off me. He let me escape, still watching me with a slightly predatory gleam in his eyes. It felt dangerous to be provoking him, but I couldn't help myself. I shoved him back, kneeling over him and holding him down by his shoulders, glad he was playing along.

"You like it when I challenge you." I told him. "Don't try to deny it." I dragged my finger down his exposed chest, stopping when I got to his stomach. I smirked when it contracted under my fingertip and he hissed.

"You're courting danger right now." He warned me, stopping my hand from moving.

"Am I?" I asked, feeling bold.

"Bella!" He hissed again as I moved my free hand slowly in small circles.

I had never acted like this before. Partly that was because Edward would never let me get this far. I would have, if he wasn't such a repressed prude. The few things I had already done with Jasper proved that Edward was wrong in the limitations of a vampire/human physical relationship. The limits were obviously all in his head.

"Bella, I care about you very much. I don't know if you could ever love me, but I want to try and see what happens."

"I want that too." I whispered back.

Now that Jasper and I had agreed to try a relationship out, I wanted to experiment. Seeing his reactions to my innocent touches was spurring me on and giving me the confidence to keep going, any embarrassment or shyness washed away by his obvious signals. Jasper's low growl started up again as I moved closer, letting my hair drag across his skin. The sound wasn't frightening at all. I kissed his chest again over his heart, soothing the large scar before moving to his neck. I rubbed my body against his as I stretched out, my hand coming free from his grip as he wrapped his arms around me.

The feeling was bliss as I felt him against me. He was perfectly formed in every way, his body and mine aligning as if we were made to fit together. I moved a little higher, kissing his jaw. His growl had intensified, his hand drifted from my back down to my jeans. He palmed my behind softly as he shifted me half on top of him, pulling my body against his more firmly. The weight of his hand resting there made me tingle and I moaned, wanting more.

Jasper was losing patience with my slow pace, it seemed, because he threaded his hand into my hair and tilted my head so he could capture my mouth. His kiss was hungry, demanding response from me. I could feel his need slamming into me from his gift, spurring on my own desire. I felt myself responding, involuntarily grinding into his leg as he drove his tongue into my mouth.

We were both panting now, our moans and sighs intermingling with his growls as he eased me onto my back. He sucked on my lip, allowing me to breathe harshly for a moment as his hand drifted down my side, stroking my body softly but not touching where I wanted him to. When I pushed my chest toward his hand, he chuckled slightly.

"My dangerous Bella." He said, his eyes dark. "I need to hunt, you are driving me insane."

He kissed me again, less urgently but with just as much passion. I could feel his affection and tenderness this time, it was so sweet it made me want to cry. He stroked my face softly, as if I was the most important thing in the world, pouring love into his kiss. I sent him all my trust back, all my hopes that we could build a future together no matter what happened.

This time when he pulled away, his eyes were shining with the same adoration mine must have been. Jasper needed to stop, but instead of leaving me feeling rejected and worthless, he took care of me and I felt loved. I felt like my heart would burst as I looked at him, hoping he understood how much it meant to me.

"I do." He said as if he could read my mind.

"Thank you." I said simply, allowing my emotions to convey the depth of what I really meant by those two simple words. "Do you need to go now?"

"Soon." He said, his hand rubbing his throat. I didn't like that he was in pain.

"You should go." I said reflexively. "I don't want you to suffer."

"I don't want to leave you alone." He said, his grip on me tightening.

I thought about it for a moment. We were too close to the Cullens, they could track us down. It wouldn't take much to find our location and locking the door would hardly keep them out if they showed up. Until the other's came back, I would be too weak to defend myself. They wouldn't be back for hours probably since they had to buy a car and clothes for Emmett.

"Take me with you. I'll need to see how it's done anyhow." Jasper could keep me safe if I was with him.

"I can't take you away from the city right now." He shook his head. "The humans around us are an advantage at the moment. No one would dare attack us so openly."

"I meant, take me with you in the city." I said, hoping I wouldn't have to clarify I didn't mean a trip to the zoo. When he didn't answer right away, I back-peddled. "I don't mean to push you, I mean, if you don't want to hunt _that way_ we can wait for the others. Or I could go have dinner in a public place, stay around lots of humans. That would work right? They wouldn't be able to get to me."

He shook his head, cutting off my words. I wasn't sure which part he disagreed with, so I waited sending him my curiosity. I hoped we would still be able to talk while we waited for the others to return, it would really suck if we had to wait in separate rooms.

"Too risky Bella. We need to stick together. I can wait awhile longer. If it was just the Cullens to worry about, we'd go now, but there are also the native vampires to the city to consider. I won't risk your life."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that." I said.

"Vampires are territorial, although this part of Manhattan isn't claimed by any particular coven. Even our kind can be tourists." He smiled. "However, if I go with a human in tow, it will attract attention. We'll go as a group, unless Emmett objects to tagging along."

"Will the _natives_ fight?" I asked.

"No, they shouldn't. Not as long as they see you are defended. We may not run into anyone at all, it's a big city." He shrugged, laying down on his back, his hands folded over his stomach.

I copied his pose, both of us staring at the ceiling. This vampire business could be complicated.

I decided to kill some time by calling home and leaving a message on my father's antiquated answering machine with our flight details incase he beat us home. I didn't want him to worry. I sent a text to Jake with the info, not feeling like talking to my friend right now. I had too much on my mind.

"Tell me more about vampire life." I said. "You said this part of Manhattan isn't claimed. How can you tell?"

Jasper explained about scent marking and the other ways borders were marked. He also told me some of how different ways of marking borders dictated how to behave if you needed to cross another's land.

"Some vampire's won't allow anyone to cross at all. If you find borders marked by vampire ash mixed with human blood, it's a good indication to go around. Most just use their own scents and blood to mark. As long as you don't hunt in another's territory and move through fast, you should be fine. When in doubt, go around. Carlisle just used scent alone. Borders like that mean you should come say hello."

"What do we mark with?" I asked, including myself as a member of the Whitlocks. He smiled at my question.

"I'm not sure what Peter's been using. I haven't been to his place in Montana since they built their house. Using ash can sometimes draw in the wrong kind of attention. The young or the bored. It scares away just as many, so it has it's uses."

"Hmm..." I wondered aloud.

I reached for my phone again, dialing Charlotte's number quickly.

"Hey Bella." She answered.

"Hey Char, I got a question for you."

"Ask away." She said.

"How do you mark your borders? Ash, blood, or what?" I bluntly asked.

"Oh... umm..." She stuttered not expecting such a blunt question. "Just a sec, Emmett is just signing for his car now." I heard some shuffling as she moved away. "Sorry, had to get away from those slimy car salesmen." She huffed.

"No problem."

"He uses ash and blood. He also had signs made and posted up on the edges of our land that read 'Trespassers will butchered and slow roasted'." She laughed. "Humans would think it's a joke, but he's serious about it."

"How cute." I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the info. How's it coming?"

"Good. Emmett didn't take long shopping, thank god. We just let him loose in a big and tall store and he was done in thirty minutes. The hardest part was picking the color on his new truck. He decided on a Hummer H3 in black. Looks like a rolling box, but he seems to like it."

"Yeah, I could see him driving one." I agreed. "You coming back soon?" I hoped so, crossing my fingers and winking at Jasper.

"Shouldn't be long, the slimeball is getting the keys now. We had to register it in Peter's name since Emmett doesn't have an ID yet, but we can transfer ownership later."

"Excellent, we'll see you soon!"

"Talk to you later hun." Char said, ending the call.

I was glad they were almost done so Jasper could feed. His eyes were still dark, even though I wasn't provoking him right now. I decided I had better eat something myself, not knowing how long we would be out on our hunting trip.

"Is there a room service menu around here?" I asked.

"I'll get you one." Jasper said, pecking me on the lips before hopping off the bed. I watched him walk to the kitchen, staring at his ass unashamed as he moved. I was so glad he was wearing jeans instead of those ugly khakis he used to wear. He was made for jeans. He grabbed the menu off the counter, turning around and smirking at me.

I sent him my indifference at being caught staring and he sent back some smugness. I thanked him as he handed it to me, picking some pasta with shrimp and a small salad.

"I'm going to grab a shower, would you order for me Jay?"

"Sure thing darlin'." He told me.

Part of me wanted to invite him to share my shower like he was sharing my room, but I wasn't feeling _that_ bold. I nervously grabbed my stuff, blushing slightly as I left the room. By the look on his face, he must have felt my emotions before they shifted to nervousness because his eyes had gone almost black and he licked his lips as he watched me scramble out of the room. I shut the door behind me, leaning against it trying to escape the look he was giving me.

With my head resting against the door, I could hear him growl softly to himself and it made me smile. I forced myself to focus on the task at hand and got ready for my shower. I ended up spending a long time in there, enjoying the most extravagant shower of my life. I could seriously get used to this, it was amazing. By the time I got out, I was a prune, but I felt great.

Jasper knocked on the door letting me know the food was here and I called out that I would be out in a minute. I finished drying off and dressed quickly, leaving my hair wrapped up in a towel. I gathered up my things and dropped them next to my bag before following my nose out to the dining area.

Jasper's lips twitched at my appearance, seeing a towel wrapped around my head, but didn't comment. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge to go with dinner. The menu recommended specific wine with the meal, but I didn't want to drink. I preferred water anyhow. I wanted to be fully alert later.

"Smells great." I commented.

"If you say so." He said, he nose wrinkling.

"Sorry, I'm stinking up the place with my human food."

"Don't apologize." He shook his head. "You're beyond understanding about our dietary needs after all."

I nodded and dug in. The food was better than it smelled and I ate all of it, feeling stuffed afterwards. Jasper cleaned up for me and I thanked him. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and fix my hair which had mostly dried.

"May I?" Jasper asked, walking up behind me and pointing to the hairbrush. I nodded, handing it to him with some trepidation. I'd never had a man brush my hair since I was a little girl and my dad had attempted to. He was never very good at it if I remembered right.

He pulled the towel out of my hair, tossing it onto the counter and sweeping my hair gently behind my back. Starting from the bottom he worked the brush through my long hair, using the exact right amount of pressure. It felt really good and I closed my eyes, just feeling. He used his hands to smooth my hair down as he worked. I didn't feel a single tug as he brushed and he drew the process out longer than it required.

I opened my eyes, watching him in the mirror. He was concentrating on the task, carefully pulling the brush down making my mahogany hair shine. The look on his face was so content. I sent him some affection and he met my eyes, pausing.

"I like to take care of you." He admitted.

I turned, taking the brush and setting it down, wrapping my arms around his neck. I kissed him softly on the lips, just brushing with the lightest pressure before pulling back.

"I can tell. I think I like that. No one has ever really taken care of me before."

He was about to say something else when the sound of the suite door banging open caught both of our attention.

"Honey! I'm home!" Emmett's boisterous voice called out, breaking the moment.

We grinned at each other and he took my hand, leading me out to the living room. The guys were back, time to go hunting.


	19. Chapter 19

**(Bella)**

Alone time with Jasper was great, but I was glad to see the rest of our coven. As strange as it was, I had missed them in the short time they were gone. I stretched on my tip-toes and gave Jasper a quick kiss before pulling away to say hello to the others. I kept hold of Jasper's hand, but I made sure to touch everyone as I greeted them, needing a physical connection.

"So, Charlotte said you seemed eager for us to get back. Missed me already little sis?" Emmett said happily.

"I did actually." I winked at the big guy. "But the reason I wanted to know if you were coming back soon is Jay was getting hungry."

"Oh!" Emmett looked at Jasper warily, then at me. "You okay bro? Not tempted to call room service and snack on the staff, are ya?"

"Nah, I have great control." Jasper laughed. "I have something to admit actually. I never actually had an _accident_ when I was with the Cullens." He paused to let the words sink in.

"Seriously?" Emmett's jaw dropped open in shock. "Huh... and you kept it from the gifted duo?" His face scrunched up in thought as he processed exactly what that meant, how many times Jasper had wilfully killed humans while living with the Cullens.

"That brings us back to the point. I need to hunt and I've decided to do it in the city." I watched the realization filter though the rest of the coven. "I'm asking that you all accompany us to help protect Bella."

Peter nodded. "Better than splitting up and we can't leave little belle here. Char and I would be glad to join you."

"Emmett, I understand you may not be comfortable with participating in this." Jasper paused, watching his brother's face. "But I'm asking for you to come with us. You just need to help guard, that's all. I won't involve you in the hunt itself, just keep close to Bella."

"I want to watch you hunt." I interrupted.

"Bella, it would be safer if you stayed with Emmett." Jasper insisted in a commanding tone.

"I didn't ask you what was safer. I'm staying with you." I wouldn't let him decide what was in my best interest. I would soon enough be hunting on my own and I wanted to see. Jasper explained to me how hard it was for him to hunt, how much the emotions effected him. I didn't want him to have to go through it alone.

His jaw was tense as we stared at each other, neither of us wanting to give ground. It was Emmett that broke our battle of wills.

"Jay, good luck with that one. Bella never does what is safe. I thought you knew that already?" He laughed, slapping Jasper on his shoulder heartily. "I've got your back, but I don't think I want to start hunting humans. I've always hunted animals except for a few mistakes. I think I want to get used to things now that I'm a Whitlock before I go changing what works for me."

Jasper smiled, punching Emmett lightly on the shoulder. He sent some frustration my way, but I detected his acceptance as well and a bit of anticipation. He _wanted_ me to watch him. I felt myself getting a little bit aroused at the thought. I saw his nostrils flare and he pulled me close, kissing me firmly.

I smirked at him as we made our way to the elevators, ignoring the chuckles from the others.

"What did you two do while we were gone?" Emmett asked suggestively.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I teased back, putting my arm around Jasper as we descended to the lobby. I felt Jasper's amusement as Em guffawed loudly, shaking his head.

"I like this new you Bells. You're different, much more confident. Edward was holding you down."

"I've done some growing up." I shrugged. "I was a girl then and he was my first boyfriend."

We decided to walk, the streets were still crowded even though night had fallen. Emmett took point, his large frame clearing a path easily. Jasper and I followed him, his arm around me keeping me shielded from being jostled as we strolled. Peter and Char brought up the rear, protecting us from behind.

Our procession made our way down the block, Emmett getting directions from Peter. I was surprised at how quickly the area went from touristy to inner city. Within a few minutes of walking, it was like an entirely different place. I could feel the difference in Jasper's stance as he moved. He was more tense, his eyes scanning and his nose obviously taking in the air. Emmett dropped back beside me as the sidewalks became more empty.

"I hear something." Peter said. "One block east."

"Sounds promising." Jasper replied and we turned at the next intersection.

I couldn't detect anything with my ears, but the pace of my companions increased and I had to speed up to stay at Jasper's side. Soon, even I could hear something. There was the sound of a man crying out and several other's drunken laughter. They sounded cruel and vicious and it made me nervous. My instincts warned me to avoid the situation, that there was danger ahead.

Jasper halted our progress when we were close. He pushed me gently into Emmett's arms and held my hands in his, meeting my eyes.

"Bella, I know you can feel the danger ahead. Please don't fight me on this darlin'. Stay behind Emmett. I won't let you go in there knowing you could be hurt. Please, do this for me, allow me to make it safe first." He pleaded, dropping to his knees before me and kissing my hands softly.

I couldn't possibly refuse him, despite my desire to witness everything. I couldn't deny that anything could be waiting around the corner, hiding in the darkness. The cries of the one man, obviously in pain, reminded me that there was danger. His attackers could have weapons. Vampires may be impervious to bullets and knives, but I was not.

"I'll stay back with Emmett." I promised. "Only until as long as it's necessary."

Jasper got up swiftly. He nodded to Emmett, communicating in that movement the trust he was putting in him and followed Peter and Char around the corner. I took a half-step toward their retreating forms before Emmett's hand reminded me to wait.

"I know." I told him.

I listened carefully as the laughing cut off and a few startled shouts were made. The victim was still pleading for help, as if he was oblivious to the arrival of the three vampires. Emmett pulled me closer, probably afraid I'd bolt and I shot him a disgruntled look. He just shrugged at me, shaking his head.

"You can come out now." Jasper called so quietly I could barely hear him.

Emmett picked me up, slinging me onto his back as I protested being held. I wanted to rush in, but he wouldn't allow it. I gave up, realizing I was getting no where against Em's hold around my legs and gripped his neck when I almost slipped backwards. He walked around the corner slowly and I peered around his thick neck, trying to get a good look.

The first thing my eyes focused on was a man lying on the ground. He had been beaten pretty badly. I could see the dim light reflecting off the blood on his face. Both his eyes had swollen shut and it looked like his nose had been crushed. His clothes were drenched in blood and he was muttering pleas for help and for his attackers to stop through his split lips. He was so bad off he hadn't even realized the attack had ended, I realized. I felt a surge of pity for him. I wondered briefly what happened. Was he a lost tourist? Did he do something to anger his attackers or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

I tore my eyes away from the victim. Jasper held a burly man against the building by his neck, cutting off his ability to speak. His arms were pinned behind his body and Jasper's position kept him firmly against the wall, unable to move. I looked for Peter and Char, but I wasn't able to find them.

"Closer Em." Jasper whispered.

Emmett walked slowly, watching the scene with as much horror as I had. When we were almost close enough to touch Jasper, he continued.

"I'm not sure we can save the man these thugs were attacking. He's lost a lot of blood, he may not make it until an ambulance can show up. Peter and Char took the other two deeper into the alley already." Jasper kept his eyes on his prey as he spoke. "We'll wait until they are done until we bring _this_ back there. It's too exposed here."

"We can't go now?" I asked softly, not wanting to linger and risk the injured man dying. His cries had almost stopped.

"No, we need to give them their space. Even this close to each other isn't ideal. Our instincts make us want to defend our kill."

"It's like that for all vampires." Emmett agreed. "Even when hunting animals. Not even Rose liked me near when she was hunting." He looked toward the end of the alley curiously, seeing more than I could.

"Apparently, it's another obvious sign I was blind to." Jasper huffed, projecting his chagrin. "Mates can share prey without triggering defense instincts. I should have seen it."

As we waited for Peter and Charlotte to finish I tried not to listen to the dying man. Emmett shifted uncomfortably under me as I clung to his back. I slid down, standing on my own next to him. I could smell the blood from here and I was glad that since Edward left me I had conquered my aversion to the smell of it somewhat. It still made me a bit queasy, but I no longer passed out or threw up. Mind over matter. I wondered if Emmett was okay. If I could smell it, I was sure he could.

"You alright Emmett?" I asked. "With the blood?"

"I think so." He said tensely. "It helps that you're here. I don't want to risk hurting you, so it's a _little_ easier to resist."

He didn't sound very confident and Jasper growled.

"I can tell you are struggling. The man won't make it, I won't judge you if you give in. If you can't handle it, then go back to the street and guard from there. We will take care of the rest." Jasper spoke calmly, but there was no doubt of the dismissal in his tone.

Emmett hesitated for a moment, looking back and forth before turning and fleeing toward the street. I watched him go until his large back turned the corner.

"I'm proud of you brother." Jasper whispered, his voice still able to reach Emmett's ears. "You made the right choice for you and that is what counts. Don't let anyone tell you what to do. Decide for yourself, no regrets and no doubts."

I couldn't hear Emmett's response, but I was pretty sure he said something by the way Jasper's head tilted. He half smiled before turning his eyes back to the scum he had against the wall. A minute later, Peter and Charlotte walked into view hand in hand. Their eyes were bright red from their recent meal.

"Are you sure?" Jasper asked me.

"Yes." I said, sending him my sincerity.

He lifted the man by his neck, his lips slightly blue from lack of oxygen, but still conscious enough to struggle. He kicked his feet uselessly and clawed at Jasper's grip. I followed behind Jasper, making sure to keep out of the way of the flailing limbs.

The alley came to an end against another building, large dumpsters blocking the view of the street. It was so dark back here that no one could see this far anyhow. I stepped carefully, making sure not to trip on anything. There were mushy cardboard boxes piled against the side.

I expected to find two bodies, drained of blood, lying on the ground. I searched the edges and didn't see them. I wondered if they were hiding in one of the dumpsters or under the cardboard. Once Jasper led the dangling attacker and myself to the very end, he stopped.

"No sudden movements Bella." He warned seriously. "Don't approach me until I tell you it's safe to."

"Okay."

His eyes reflected the light as he studied me closely, making sure I agreed to his demands. I came closer, trying to see as well as possible in the dim light, my eyes finally adjusting as much as they were capable of.

**(Jasper)**

I checked Bella's emotions, making sure she understood fully the danger she would be in if she tried to come to me before I was back in control. I didn't think I would hurt her, but I didn't want to find out. I felt her acceptance, but stronger was her curiosity and a bit of anticipation. I wanted to growl at her for being so confounding.

I positioned my prey carefully, he was weak from lack of air. I had held him by the neck for so long he was barely conscious now. It made it easier to maneuver him to his knees and bend his head to the side, exposing his neck. I noted Bella moving a little closer, her pupils wide to take in as much light as possible. It made her eyes look dark, as mine must be right now.

I should have told her to back away, but I doubted she would listen. I hadn't had a slip in quite a few years, too many. As I allowed the scent of his blood to enter my nostrils, the venom flowed freely, scorching it's way down my throat as I swallowed the excess. This would be a thousand times better than an animal and my body was craving it in the worst way. I held back, allowing myself to build up the anticipation for a few moments longer.

I could feel the man in my arms regaining alertness as his breathing was no longer constricted and his heart beat sped up. It made me even more excited, knowing the blood would be even sweeter if it was flavored with his fear as it pumped into my mouth.

I sniffed his neck once more before meeting Bella's gaze again. Slowly, I lowered my mouth down, letting my teeth rest on the vein for a few seconds. I could feel the vibration resonating through my teeth and it made me moan softly before I drove them into the soft skin. I sealed my lips, not letting any of the liquid escape.

It was exactly as I remembered and everything I had been missing. I growled as I drank, my eyes rolling back in my head. I reflexively tightened my grip, hearing a rib snap before I realized my mistake and relaxed. I was almost as eager as a newborn to drink and if I wasn't careful I'd make a mess. I growled a little louder, letting out some of my energy vocally as I felt his heart pumping the blood into me.

The flavor was unparalleled. I had gotten lucky, there was only a little alcohol in his system but no drugs. While they wouldn't effect me, they did taint the flavor. I could feel his fear and pain escalate, causing chemicals to be released into his system that made my sensitive tastebuds erupt.

My gift went into overdrive. Everything the man was feeling in his final moments was magnified by our contact. If it wasn't for the frenzy of bloodlust I was feeling overpowering everything else, I'd have dropped him right there on the pavement. Unlike most of my past victims, he was feeling anger instead of sorrow and regret. This piece of garbage didn't have a single shred of remorse for what he had done.

I bit down harder, feeling his pain spike. As the human blood infused my tissues, I felt the increase in power that came with it. Animal blood may sustain a vampire, but it's no substitute for the real thing. I would be physically stronger and quicker, faster and more agile after this. My gift would be easier to control and able to extend for longer distances.

I could hear the heart stuttering and I moaned, pulling harder at the wound wanting more. I had been thirsty for so long, never satisfied on the animals I had fed on. Forced to absorb six other vampire's thirsts like a sponge. I needed more. His heart stuttered a few times and I desperately sucked on his neck, getting every drop I could.

It wasn't enough, he was nearly dry. He breathed his last and his heart ceased and I dropped his corpse in anger, letting out a low snarl. I searched with my gift, feeling Bella close. Even in my state, I knew she was not prey. My Bella was not food. I looked farther, feeling pain and desperation. I smelt fresh blood spilling onto the ground.

I hissed, furious that someone was allowing blood to go to waste. My vision was still hazy with bloodlust and I checked my surroundings for threats. Seeing no one nearby, I slung Bella onto my back and darted to the wounded prey, dragging him back toward my other kill quickly. I heard Bella gasp and shushed her, sending her soothing emotions.

When we were secluded once again, I pulled unconscious man to my lips and bit him quickly, not wanting any more of his blood to go to waste. He didn't even cry out, he was injured badly and didn't have long to live even without my influence. I drank greedily, feeling sanity returning as the blood ran out.

By the time I dropped his spent body, I was feeling almost like myself again. Reality slammed into me as I felt Bella's warmth on my back, her small hands on my chest as she held on. I looked down, the two bodies lying on the ground before me reminding me that I had lost control.

"Bella!" I whispered. "Are you alright? Did I hurt you darlin'?" I didn't dare move, afraid to touch her in any way, even though she was touching me in her position.

"Jasper, it's okay. I'm fine, I promise." She said softly. "Can I move now?"

"Yes." I said, forgetting that I told her to wait for me to give her permission earlier. "I'm so sorry."

I dropped to my knees, allowing her to find her feet. She was slightly wobbly, which worried me even more. I was too scared to face her so I froze, closing my eyes. I could feel Peter and Char's concern, but they were with Emmett waiting on the sidewalk. Emmett was angry with me, understandably so.

When I reached out to Bella, I could barely feel anything. She was blocking me. My heart sank when I realized she didn't want me to know what she was feeling. I had disappointed her, I let her down.

"Bella, I'm sorry." I whispered again.

"Jay, it's okay." She said, coming around to face me. I stubbornly kept my eyes closed. "Look at me." Bella demanded.

With my gift at full power, I felt her annoyance when I didn't comply, even though her emotions were so muted. More afraid of displeasing her further than of the pain I knew was coming from the rejection I deserved for acting so inappropriately, I opened my eyes.

Hers were the same deep chocolate as they ever were, endlessly warm. Mine would be bright red, the blood of that poor man coloring them as much as the criminal who beat him. Bella's hand stroked my face softly and I felt understanding wash over me.

"Jasper, he was dying. Even I could smell his blood. Don't blame yourself for what happened. He probably wouldn't have made it to the hospital, you said so yourself." She reasoned. "I'm safe. You didn't hurt me."

"I... didn't even consider hurting you. I needed more, but not you." I whispered. "You're mine Bella." I touched her hand against my cheek.

"I know." She smiled, opening herself up to me a crack. "I could feel you the whole time. Are you going to be okay with your gift?"

Bella was trying to comfort me? I looked at her confused. Was that why she was holding her emotions at bay? To keep me from becoming overwhelmed? I studied her for signs of shock or fear, sniffing for any scent of injury on her.

"I'll be fine darlin'. I was just worried about you."

I stood carefully, moving closer to her by inches, hoping she would allow it. Bella met me halfway, tucking herself into my embrace as I held her to my body. When she let me feel her emotions fully I smiled huge. It was like a tsunami washed over my soul, but I loved every second of it.

I heard Peter clear his throat and pulled back. He was right, we couldn't linger here. It wouldn't pay to be discovered with the bodies.

"I'll show you what we're doing for cleanup tonight." I said reluctantly pulling away. I could feel curiosity from Bella and I wondered at her fortitude.

"The dumpsters?" She guessed.

"Not a bad idea, but this time we had a better option." I lifted a manhole cover easily, exposing the old sewer lines of the city. "Careful, don't fall in." I warned her.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Won't the bodies clog up the plumbing?"

"Normally it's a possibility, but in this part of the city no. It's original tunneling, not like the modern stuff that is more compact. You could dump a car down here if the hole was big enough."

I dropped both bodies down to join Peter and Charlotte's kills, hearing the splash as they joined the human waste below. The smell was atrocious, but I tried to ignore it. Being in a city there were a lot of smells to ignore. Once I put the cover on, it got a bit easier.

"Hey Peter, think we need to do something about the blood on the ground?" I called out.

"Nah, with no bodies there will be nothing to connect it to. Besides, it's supposed to rain overnight." He called back.

I picked Bella up, carrying her to the mouth of the alley before setting her back on her feet. I didn't want her to trip on any of the trash that was on the ground. I was still feeling like I had a lot of explaining to do, but this wasn't the place to do it. Emmett seemed to forgive me when he got a chance to look over Bella and decided she was fine.

The walk back to the hotel was quick. The only detour we made was when Bella saw a vendor selling sunglasses and insisted we both buy a pair. I agreed considering it would make flying tomorrow easier. It was startling to see my red eyes reflecting back in the mirror provided to try on the glasses before purchasing them. It had been so long and it stirred a lot of memories. Not so much of my slips, but of spending time with Peter and Char.

When we got to the hotel, Bella surprised me by sitting on my lap, copying Charlotte's pose at the other end of the couch. Emmett gave us a cheeky smile as he plopped down in the middle seat, throwing his arms out along the back of the couch.

"I feel so left out." He pouted. "No one is sitting on my lap."

"Maybe you should ask Peter." Bella snarked.

"He's not my type. I'm done with blondes." Emmett winked.

I laughed, glad there was no tension lingering from earlier. I was worried when I felt Emmett's anger, but the big man wasn't one to hold a grudge.

"So, was hunting everything you thought it would be?" Peter asked Bella.

"Yes and no." She replied thoughtfully. "I didn't know what to expect exactly."

"The Major was a bit pent up. I should have thought of that little belle, sorry. If I had been thinking, I wouldn't have left ya alone with him like that. It was foolish."

"No, Jasper wouldn't hurt me." I felt her trust. "I was never in any danger from him." She snuggled into my shoulder making me smile.

"He's right Bella. I was out of control for a moment there." I admitted, feeling ashamed.

"It was the blood." She said obviously. I looked at her confused and she rolled her eyes. "I mean the man bleeding. If he wasn't there, I know you'd have been okay."

I considered what she said and had to concede that she might have a better grasp on the situation than I did. I sent her agreement and shrugged.

"It was different than before. I didn't feel so much guilt after." I pondered. I could feel Emmett's confusion so I elaborated for his benefit. "The reason I struggled so much after the wars was my gift. I could feel everything my prey felt as I killed them and it lingered with me long after the fact. I became depressed, spiraling deeper into it each time."

"Not this time though?" Em asked.

"No, that man... he felt nothing but anger. He didn't care about anyone or anything. The other one, well he was so far gone he didn't feel much at all."

"Do you think it's because of the type of person you hunted? Or was this just random chance?" Bella asked me.

"Maybe some of both. I'm sure even criminals are capable of fear and regret, just not this one." I pondered.

Bella yawned loudly and I realized she must be exhausted. She slept on the flight last night, but that couldn't have been enough or the right quality of sleep for all that had happened since.

"Let's get to bed sweetness." I urged her. Turning to the others, I said, "Our flight leaves in the morning. Make sure you're ready to head to Montana in the morning."

"Yes sir." Peter nodded, getting up with Char and heading to their room.

"Goodnight you two, have fun." Emmett said with a wink before leaving for his own room.

As enticing as the idea of having Bella alone in that plush bed was, I knew she was tired and I didn't want to push her. I had no intentions of doing anything beyond holding her while she slept.

"I'm going to shower first." I told her when we got in our room. I could tell she was nervous. At my words she seemed relieved.

"Okay, I'll stay awake until you get back." She promised.

Grabbing a pair of cotton pajama pants, I sped from the room allowing her privacy to change and took a fast shower. Vampires didn't _need_ to shower unless we got dirty, but the hot water felt nice. Our skin didn't produce oils or odor and our hair was naturally soft and didn't get greasy.

I examined myself in the mirror giving Bella a few extra minutes to get settled before joining her in the bedroom. My scars were on full display since I wasn't wearing a shirt. Bella hadn't reacted with the same disgust that Alice always had, so I decided not to hide them.

My eyes stuck out startlingly in my face, still vibrant red. For so long they had matched the color of my hair, but I was already getting used to it. I knew from experience by tomorrow morning they would be a more muted shade of red, losing the intensity of the fresh hunt.

I heard the rustling of the bedcovers and figured it was safe to return, opening the door slowly so as not to startle Bella with my entrance. The lights were off in the room save for one bedside lamp and she was sitting up, watching me as I walked up to her. Her eyes drifted from my feet up my legs, taking in my exposed chest before settling on my face.

I could feel her approval and it made me smirk. Her skin pinked slightly, but she wasn't embarrassed. It was a reaction to my form coloring her cheeks. She slid over, making room and patting the bed between us. I felt myself responding and willed my body to relax. Using my natural speed, I took her invitation and joined her. She giggled at my eagerness.

"Red looks good on you." She said, touching my face.

"I didn't scare you?" I checked, still not convinced. She slid down under the covers, leaving them lying across her waist as she arranged her pillow.

"Nope. You were projecting to me the whole time. It was intense, but not frightening. I could feel your thirst, which was strange. I could also feel how protective you felt toward me, how you..." She struggled for the word to describe the feeling. "I can't explain it."

"Show me." I asked, curiously as I mirrored her position.

Bella closed her eyes, concentrating but all I was getting was frustration. After a moment she blew out a gust of air and opened them again.

"I'm trying, give me a moment."

She became very still, focused. Then she reached out for me, touching my face with one hand and my chest with the other. Her eyes focused on mine and I felt a complex emotion coming from her. It was protective, but so much more. There were strands of adoration, possessiveness, devotion, and a half a dozen other things, all entwined around a core of pure love.

"Mine." I said the only word that came to mind.


	20. Chapter 20

**(Bella)**

Mine. The word seemed to echo between us when it fell from Jasper's lips. It was exactly what I was thinking as I tried to convey the exact feeling he projected at me while he was feeding. We hadn't spoken again that night, both of us content to just be with each other. Jasper eventually turned out the light and pulled me against him, wrapping us both in the covers to keep me from getting cold from his skin.

The next day we said goodbye to the others at the hotel. They were driving Emmett's new H3 to Montana while we took the rented Mercedes SUV back to the airport. Once we arrived in Seattle, we retrieved Jasper's truck and headed to Forks. We beat Charlie home and I erased the message I had left Dad on the answering machine.

I sent a quick text to Jake, letting him know I was back and Jasper and I went upstairs so I could unpack and sort out some laundry. I really needed to do some wash. It was amazing how such a short trip generated so much dirty laundry. I let Jasper carry the basket downstairs so he could feel useful.

As I was passing by the back door, there was a loud knock and Jake's face peered in the window at me.

"Jake!" I said, shocked to see him. I undid the lock and he opened the door, walking right into the house. He pulled me into a hug and laughed in relief.

"Bells, I'm so glad to see you."

"I was only gone a few days!" I laughed as he set me back on my feet.

"Bella, how much soap do you add to this thing?" Jasper called up from the basement.

"He's still here, huh?" Jake mumbled.

I ignored him and went downstairs, hoping Jasper hadn't done anything drastic with our clothes. Switching the machine's settings for a large load of colors, I measured out the liquid and started the load. Jasper watched intently as I worked.

"Thanks, I'll remember for next time. I never had to do laundry before. Alice never let us wear the same thing more than once."

I didn't comment, but that was so typical of her. You couldn't even attribute that to fashion. Clothes didn't go out of style overnight.

"Your eyes are _red_!" Jacob growled out. "You murdered someone!"

Jacob was trembling as he stared at Jasper. I hadn't thought about the pack finding out about this, but I should have. It was bound to come up. It's not like I was planning to hide Jasper away or something. Jasper pulled me behind him protectively and faced off with Jake.

"Yes. While we were in New York City there was a man being beaten to death in an alley. I killed the man that was attacking him." Jasper explained, leaving out a lot of the facts, but hitting the finer points well enough.

Jacob looked conflicted, unsure what to think about what he had just heard. I could see that he wanted to stay angry, but finding out it wasn't like he thought at first had thrown him.

"Did the victim survive?" He asked.

"No, he didn't make it. He lost too much blood." Jasper said. Also true, but stretching the truth even farther.

"I was there Jake. I told Jasper to do it. That monster would have killed other people if he hadn't been stopped." I said evenly.

"Damn it. This shit is fucked up." Jake had stopped shaking, but looked frazzled. "I don't even know who the bad guys are anymore. It was so much easier before."

"Before?" I asked confused.

"Before this unholy alliance you got us mixed up in Bells!" He groaned out. "Now that you're going off to Italy to become one of them, I just don't know what to do." He kicked the empty laundry basket across the floor in frustration. "I feel like everything is falling apart and I can't hold on anymore. I'm losing you!"

I pushed Jasper aside firmly and went to Jacob, stopping his pacing by grabbing him around the middle and squeezing him. He broke a bit in my arms, letting out a strangled noise as he held me back.

"I'm so sorry Jacob. I never meant to do this to you. I'm such a mess and now I've dragged you into it too."

"Don't be sorry. I love you Bells, mess and all."

I could tell Jasper was uneasy with watching us be so close, but he didn't say anything about it, looking away and giving us our moment. I held Jake and tried to soothe him as he let the mask he had been holding all week for my benefit slip, revealing the difficulty he was having dealing with the changes that were coming.

"Bells! You home?" Charlie's voice along with the front door slamming from upstairs broke us apart.

I pulled back giving Jake a smile and all three of us went upstairs.

"Yeah Dad, I was just putting in some laundry!" I called back, tromping up the stairs behind Jacob.

Charlie met me in the kitchen, his face relieved. He was holding a big red cooler, probably full of fish and smiling.

"Oh, hey Jake." He greeted. His eyes widened a bit at seeing Jasper follow me into the room, spotting his eyes right away. I really should have considered how different he looked with his newly red eyes. "Jasper." He said with a nod.

Jake looked a bit shocked that Charlie knew who Jasper was, but didn't say anything.

"We just got back." I informed my father. "How was the fishing?"

"It was great!" Charlie said, looking grateful for a comfortable subject. He lifted up the cooler a bit. "I gotta go put away my catch. Got a swordfish! It was a real fighter, nearly pulled me off the ship. Good thing they make you hook into a harness or I'd have had to swim back to shore." He laughed.

"That's great Dad." I smiled, glad he had a good time. "If it won't all fit down there we can fit more in the freezer up here." I told him as he passed us on his way downstairs.

Once Charlie had gone, whistling as he descended, Jacob turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

"Charlie knows about Jasper?"

"He remembers him as one of Carlisle's sons. He thinks he's in town visiting me." I told him, sticking to the public story. I could see the relief spread on his face.

I had a sudden idea. What I really needed to do was have a going away party. I wondered if the pack would make an exception and let Jasper come to First Beach just this once. We could have a bonfire, invite Charlie and everyone I knew from the rez. Really do it up right with food and some music.

"I've gotta call Emily." I said suddenly, grinning huge. "You two play nice, I'll be right back."

I raced upstairs to get my phone where I left it in my room. I knew if I asked Sam if I could bring a vampire along, he'd flip out over everyone's safety. But Emily on the other hand, she could be persuaded. If Emily wanted really wanted something, Sam would give in. It was just a matter of making sure things were presented right to him.

She answered on the first ring, sounded excited to hear from me.

"Vampire-girl! I have been dying to hear from you! How was New York?"

"Hey there wolf-girl! I have so much to tell you. Think you can ditch the boys for a bit? I'll come by and we can go out to lunch just the two of us."

"Sounds great. You coming by now?"

"Yep, just gotta ditch Jake and Jasper, I'm on the way! See you soon."

"Okay, bye!" She said and I hung up, grabbing my purse.

I bounced down the stairs excited. I hadn't had a chance to see Emily much this last week. We usually spent a lot of time hanging out together while the guys were out during the day. Jacob still had school and Sam spent his time split between pack duties and work.

"Hey Jay, can I borrow your truck? Emily and I are going to lunch."

Dad had come back up and was sitting awkwardly with my boys. It seemed conversation was flowing slowly and I smirked at them.

"Sure darlin'." He said, pulling the keys from his pocket. I gave him a quick peck on the lips before taking them from him.

"Perfect!" Jacob said ignoring the display. "I was just getting hungry."

"Sorry Jake, girls only." I rolled my eyes. He was not invited and if he thought he was going to listen in, he'd have another thing coming. "I'll drop you at the rez on the way if you want."

"Oh. Okay." He said, a bit too eagerly.

"I'll be back in a bit." I said, turning around. "I want to hear all about your trip when I get back." I told Charlie. "Emily and I have some serious girl-talk to catch up on though."

"Have fun Bells. I'll just have a nice chat with your friend." Charlie looked at Jasper appraisingly. Jasper didn't even flinch.

Jacob and I left the two men to get to know each other and I got into the driver's seat. Jacob elected to sit in the bed of the truck and opened the window that separated the back of the cab from the bed to talk to me as we drove.

"So, what's so secret that I can't come along to lunch?" He pouted.

"No secrets Jake. I just miss spending time with Emily and I have stuff to talk about that I just can't tell you."

"I thought we were best friends." He said offended.

"We are Jake." I sighed. "But there are some things that you don't want to hear about."

"You didn't!" He said horrified.

"Didn't what?" I said. "Oh, no we didn't go _that_ far. Do you really want to talk about my relationship with Jasper?" I asked.

"I guess not." He said. "Just be careful, okay. Don't do anything stupid. And if he ever hurts you, tell me." He growled out.

I studied his expression as I drove toward's Emily's place. He looked concerned but resigned.

"I'll fill everyone in soon. Trust me, you won't believe what went down at the Cullens."

Jake perked up at my teasing description. I knew that would get his interest away from thoughts of my love life. I still knew Jacob would try to follow us though, so I hoped Sam was home. I saw his car parked in front of the house when I pulled in and smiled. I was in luck!

Jake and I walked into the kitchen just as Emily was getting ready to go outside to meet me. Sam held her back, sniffing the air.

"New truck Bells?" He asked. I wondered if he could smell vampire on it from here.

"I borrowed it from a friend." I told him. "Sam, I was wondering if you could make sure Jake didn't follow Emily and I to lunch. I have a feeling he wants to eavesdrop on our private conversation." I shot him a knowing look. "And I was really hoping it could just be us girls." I winked at Emily, hoping for her support.

"Your vampire friends won't be coming, right? It _will_ be just the two of you?" He checked.

"Yep, just to the diner in Forks. Unless you wanted to go to Port Angeles?" I asked Emily.

"No, that's fine." She agreed. "I really want a chance to talk _alone_ with my friend Sam."

He nodded, giving in right away. Jake huffed in frustration.

"Okay, we'll see you later then!" I said quickly, not wanting anything to happen to change Sam's mind. Emily and I got into Jasper's truck and headed to the diner, giggling as we escaped our protectors.

"So, are we really alone?" She asked. "Or are there vampires listening in?"

"Charlie is probably giving Jasper the third degree right now, so I doubt he'll be free to follow us. He's the only one in Forks right now. Sorry for rushing us out of there. I thought for sure Jake was going to mention that Jay's eyes are red now and Sam would blow his lid before we could get on the road."

"He killed someone?" Emily said in shock. "What happened?"

I explained how it all went down, giving her slightly more detail than Jake, but swearing her to secrecy on the differences. Emily didn't need to worry about her head being picked clean by doggy mind sharing.

She wasn't completely sold on the "death penalty" for the criminal, but admitted she didn't disagree entirely either. When I told her I was standing right there for the whole thing she was surprised.

"Weren't you scared? I mean, what if he decided he wanted dessert or something? Didn't Jasper try to go after you before when the Cullens were here?"

"I wasn't scared. Are you scared of Sam?" I asked.

"Of course not." She made a face at me. "I love Sam, he'd never attack me."

"Sam hurt you before." I said and she glared.

"That was different. It was an accident."

"Exactly." I said, hating that I had upset my friend. "I'm sorry for bringing that up Emily. I didn't mean to make you mad."

"No, it's fine. I think I get what you are saying." She sighed. "So, do you _like_ Jasper then?"

"I do." I admitted with a blush. "It's happening really fast, but I really like him. We haven't used the 'L-word' yet, but we did kiss a couple of times."

"Good for you vampire-girl." She smiled. "Please tell me this one is better than the last one."

"He is." I said confidently as I parked. "I'll tell you more about him while we eat and we can make plans for my going-away party."

"I'm really going to miss you."

We decided to place our orders to go and took our food to the park across the street to sit at the picnic tables. It hadn't rained yet today and everything was mostly dry. It was too crowded inside to talk without the town busybodies listening in on everything we had to say.

I only told her that Edward and Esme had been killed while we were there, but didn't go into the whole story, promising I'd explain in detail when the pack was around to hear it. The rest of our conversation was about Jasper and I. Emily was a little worried when I told her he had just broken up with his wife of sixty years, but relaxed a bit when I went on about the circumstances.

I admitted that I initiated our first kiss and how amazing it was, how he kissed me the next time. I told her how we had decided to try being a couple, even if we weren't officially mates after my change.

"What if you aren't mates and someday he finds his?" She asked. "Like what happened with Leah?"

I shrugged. "I don't think it's quite the same thing. I'm going into this with my eyes open anyhow. I don't want to put my life on hold, just incase. He's worth the risk."

"I really want to meet him." She said. "He sounds perfect for you."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." I said, taking a deep breath. "I want to have my going away party on First Beach, but I want Jay there too. As my date."

"Oh." Her eyes widened. "Sam won't like that idea."

"I know. I was hoping you'd help me convince him to make an exception." I pleaded. "Just for the party and only on the beach, not anywhere else on the rez."

"This is going to be tough." She said. "I'm not sure he'll agree, even if I ask him."

"What if I don't ask permission and just bring Jasper with me. You think Sam would flip out in front of Charlie?" I said, amused.

"You wouldn't!" Emily laughed. "Please don't do that, who knows what would happen. I'll convince him, somehow."

"I knew I could count on you wolf-girl." I winked. "We'll provide all the stuff, so don't worry about that. It's the least I can do after giving you such a hard job."

"Thanks. So when are we doing this?"

"Tomorrow night. We spoke to the Volturi and they only gave me one year before I have to be in Italy. I can't wait much longer to change."

"That soon?" Emily said sadly.

"Yeah. Don't worry though, we can still talk on the phone at least. How's it going with Leah?"

"Better." She smiled. "She came over yesterday and we talked while Sam was working."

"That's great. We need to invite her to the party too. Everyone we know at the rez actually. The more the merrier."

"You, Charlie, and Jasper will be the only pale-faces there?"

"Yep." I said with a laugh. There was no point inviting anyone I used to go to school with. I hadn't talked to any of them since Edward left.

We tossed our containers in the trash cans and walked back to Jasper's truck, heading back to the rez both happy and making plans. I was thinking of how much cooking I had ahead of me to get enough food ready and she was thinking of ways to convince her fiance to ignore the fact that my date was a member of the undead for one evening.

**(Jasper)**

I watched Bella leave, the wolf following her out the door. Her father was sending me suspicion as he examined me carefully. I tried smiling disarmingly at him, but he didn't buy it for a moment.

"So, Jasper. How long are you in town for?" He asked.

"Not long." I answered. Bella and I would be leaving soon.

"I was afraid of that." He said sitting back in his chair. "I see you two are more _comfortable_ around each other."

Charlie didn't seem thrilled to have witnessed Bella's quick kiss as she took my keys. I had quickly become used to such displays from her that I hadn't even thought about our company. Her father was suspicious, but not hostile. The kiss was very brief after all. It only hinted that we had been more intimate at other times. We had been away for the weekend, after all.

"When you asked me my intentions toward Bella, I told you that I liked her and that I would allow her to make any advances. I've come to realize that I'm falling for her. I believe she feels the same. While we were in New York, she kissed me. We've decided to pursue a relationship."

"I see." He said, his face still hard. "A relationship."

"Yes sir."

"So your divorce is final?" He huffed disapprovingly.

"It was final before I even came back to Forks." I changed the subject quickly, not wanting to go into my relationship with his daughter or with my ex-wife. "I delivered your message to Edward."

"Did you now?" The man smirked. "How'd he take it."

"Flat on his back."

This made Charlie laugh.

"Good. I just wish I could have done it myself."

"Edward Cullen was killed while we were in New York." I said seriously. Charlie's expression was torn between shock and grim satisfaction. "Not by me. Esme, Carlisle's wife committed suicide and took him with her in the process."

"Wow, that's terrible." He said. "How'd it happen?"

"There was a fire. They didn't suffer." I told him, leaving out the battle before the end.

"That can't have been easy on Carlisle. Losing his wife and son like that. Should I send my condolences?"

"Definitely not. The Cullens aren't feeling very friendly toward your daughter right now. I'm afraid they blame her for the situation, especially Carlisle."

"Bella? How could she be responsible for that?" He said angrily. "They're the ones that wronged her."

"I know." I agreed. "Just keep in mind that as much as he seemed like a nice man and caring doctor, he isn't a man at all. Don't involve yourself."

I could feel a small amount of fear and Charlie blanched as my warning hit home. He stared into my red eyes.

"Much like you aren't some boy that my daughter is dating." He said calculating. "Your eyes... was it an accident?"

"No. In the city we came upon a man being beaten to death by some thugs. They murdered him, three against one."

"I don't approve of vigilantism." He said sternly. "I'm a police officer, I believe in the law. I don't suppose _people_ like you exactly play by the rules. Did Bella see it?" He radiated concern.

"She did." I admitted. "It was at her urging that I _intervened_."

Charlie scratched his head. His emotions were fluctuating a bit. Outrage, whether at my actions or that a crime had taken place in front of his daughter I couldn't say. A small amount of pride, concern, and confusion.

"Well, I suppose you did what was necessary." He finally said. "Bella's okay?"

"She's fine."

"That's all that matters to me."

He got up and retreated to the television. I joined him and he turned on a basketball game. Soon we got into it, both of us cheering. I caught him grinning as he looked over at me, a small amount of approval coming from him.

During one of the commercial breaks, he got serious and turned to me, muting the sound. I heard my truck pull into the drive and he waited until Bella opened the door and walked in before speaking.

"This year will be twenty years on the force. I've decided to retire." He announced.

"What?" Bella said closing the door a little too hard behind her. She sat next to me on the couch, taking my hand for support.

"Twenty years means I'll get my full pension. I was thinking of selling this old place. It won't be the same without you here anyhow Bells." He smiled softly. "I was thinking of getting a fishing cabin somewhere, just enjoying myself."

"That sounds nice Dad." Bella smiled, still looking unsure.

"Yep, just four more months until I'm eligible." He looked up, meeting my eyes. I could feel his calculation before the words left his mouth. "I found a nice place in Montana, I wanted to talk to you before I put down a deposit."

"Montana?" Bella said, her voice high. I narrowed my eyes at the older man. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Yep. Some nice lakes up there."

"A lot of good fishing cabins in Washington too." I said firmly, staring back at his brown eyes. I felt his determination skyrocket.

"I'm pretty set on Montana. Have you ever been there _Whitlock_?" I never gave him my last name, but he had it. I'd underestimated the man.


	21. Chapter 21

**(Bella)**

Charlie knowing about Montana was maybe the worst thing that could have happened. I would have been glad if there was any way to keep him in my life, but with the Volturi already looking so closely in my direction, it was beyond dangerous.

"Dad, you can't move to Montana." I said, hating the expression of hurt on his face.

"Bella, I _know_ that's where you're going. You can't stop me from following you. If you move, I'll just find you again." He looked determined.

"You know who the Volturi are." Jasper said bluntly while pulling me onto his lap comfortingly. "Do you have any idea what would happen to Bella if you moved so close to her? How long do you think it will take for them to figure out that you knew more than you should and investigate?"

"I hadn't thought of that." Charlie said, his face falling. "How do you know they'd find out? I mean, they haven't bothered me in all this time."

"You got lucky." Jasper said. "Carlisle has spoken to one of the kings already about Bella. We've spoken to another of them while we were in New York. They will be watching us closely."

"I have one year to appear before them in Italy." I said. "Jasper and I will be leaving tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night? But you have a year. Can't you stay longer?" Charlie said, distressed.

"We'll need the time to prepare." Jasper explained. "You cannot interfere. It would be safer for you to get yourself a fishing cabin on the reservation if your friends will allow it. The wolves will protect you and you will remain hidden from the Volturi. Keep to the plan of phone calls."

"I'm sorry Bells. I just don't want to let you go. Isn't there another way?" He looked broken. I wanted to cry, but there was little I could do. I knew I would have to say goodbye to my father eventually.

"I'm sorry Charlie." Jasper said sadly. "The law only allows for two options. Death or transformation."

"You mean, become one of you." He grimaced. "I'm not sure I want that. I've spent my whole live upholding the law. I could never be okay with knowing I'd have to break it."

"Dad, it isn't like that _exactly_." I tried to explain.

"You don't need to sugar-coat it for me Bells. I understand and I can even respect the way you all seem to do things, but I couldn't. Besides, I'm kinda looking forward to retiring." He sighed.

"I understand. This life isn't for everyone." Jasper nodded. "At least you'll still be able to talk. You won't lose her completely, I promise you that."

"Fine. I know of some properties up for sale on the rez. I would have missed Billy anyhow." He conceded.

As much as the thought of my father staying with me forever was tempting, I knew it wasn't something he would want. He was happy living his life, he didn't belong in the supernatural world. He spent his entire life trying to ignore it while I did everything I could to become part of it. Maybe after the trip to Italy was done I could even visit him sometime, I hoped.

"Dad, I'm having a party on First Beach tomorrow night. Do you have the number to the barbeque place you used for the police picnic from last 4th of July?" I asked, distracting him.

While I would have gladly cooked everything myself, I was feeling time slipping away and I didn't want to waste any precious minute I had left with my father. I watched his familiar face scrunch as he tried to remember.

"Yeah, I think it's in the kitchen, top drawer on the end." He told me.

"How'd you find us anyhow?" Jasper asked speculatively.

"You left your motorcycle here. I might have ran the plates while you were gone." He said abashed. "From there it took some real digging. I didn't have much luck until I did a nationwide motor vehicle search for Peter and Charlotte Whitlock. I just had a hunch. The address on your identification is phoney by the way, I could have you arrested." He grumbled.

"You could try." Jasper laughed, impressed. "The address you found for them isn't real either, but the state is right."

I shook my head, the expression of annoyance on my Dad's face and smugness on Jasper's just too much. I hopped up and got the menu, bringing it back to the living room and spread it out on the small coffee table.

"You think they can deliver out to the rez on such short notice?" I pondered aloud.

"Let me handle it darlin'. What time is your party?"

"Umm... six o'clock. I want both chicken and ribs with all the sides. Better make it for thirty with how the wolves eat."

He nodded and dialed. I listened in as he placed the order. I could hear the man on the other end protesting as he heard the time we wanted it delivered but Jasper offered him double the cost and got him to agree. I was impressed, but a little scared to ask the final bill. I handed my card to Jasper, but he deflected my hand hand used his own credit card to pay before hanging up.

"You didn't have to do that." I said.

"I wanted to." He smiled at me. My Dad laughed, shaking his head.

"Good luck son, she's stubborn."

"I noticed." Jasper said with a wink. "Why don't you take the day off tomorrow, sir? Spend the day together."

Charlie looked at me and nodded. "I think I'll do that."

Dad got up and dialed the station on the home phone, telling the deputy on the other end he wasn't coming in tomorrow. He told him that I was moving back to Phoenix to go to school and he wanted to spend the day with me before I left town. Charlie chuckled at something the man said and thanked him before hanging up.

"Phoenix?" I asked. "Don't they know Renee is in Florida?"

"Yeah, but it's no secret you miss Arizona. You're eighteen now and if I told them you went to live with Renee, someone might have told your mother and that would have raised questions." He plopped down in his favorite chair, looking exhausted. "I need something to tell people when you disappear Bells."

"You're right. That's a good idea." I admitted.

"No matter who asks, stick to Phoenix." Jasper said. "Tell no one about Montana, block it from your mind as best you can. It's safer that way."

"I can do that." Charlie agreed. "I'm good at keeping people out of my head and I won't breathe a word about it."

I played with my phone, hoping Emily was making progress with Sam. The fact that I hadn't heard back from either of them yet had me worried. The longer I waited the more likely she was having a hard time convincing him. I was sure Jasper was no threat to anyone, but they had to fight their instincts which said otherwise.

"Expecting company?" Jasper asked. His sensitive ears picked up the approaching vehicle before it pulled up in front of the house.

"I forgot, Billy is coming over to catch the game tonight." Charlie said. He looked at Jasper for a moment. "He doesn't like your kind much, I hope that isn't a problem."

"I'm sure it will be fine. I can wait upstairs if you like." Jasper said.

As nice as it was for Jasper to offer, it annoyed me that he would even consider hiding away. He was my guest and this was still my home. There was no way I would allow that, Billy would just have to deal or both of us would be upstairs. I wouldn't let him be run off like that.

I looked out the window, moving the curtains. Jake was with his father, of course. I was more surprised to see that there were two other passengers in the truck. Sam and Emily had come along.

"I don't think that will be necessary." I grinned. "Sam and Emily are here too."

I almost ran to the front door, flinging it open. I rushed down the steps and up to the car, hugging Emily and trying to read her expression. She looked excited, so I took that as a good sign.

"Don't celebrate yet!" She whispered. "He wants to talk to him first, but it's looking good."

"I'll take that as a yes anyhow." I hopped up and down, still hugging her.

Sam chuckled at us both, hefting a cooler out of the back.

"Women!" He grumbled affectionately, getting a grunt of agreement from Billy.

Emily and I led the procession into the house and I saw her looking around for Jasper. He had retreated back to the far side of the room, standing near the kitchen. When she saw him, she shot me a look and mouthed "nice" to me with a goofy grin. I winked back with a smile.

I heard Sam's low growl as he pushed past us, walking a bit stiffly as he put the cooler down on the table next to Jasper.

"Jasper." He acknowledged.

"Nice to see you again Sam." He replied.

I laughed at their macho stances. Dad and Billy greeted each other in their usual way, by teasing each other and making jokes. Everyone was talking at once and the atmosphere was light and happy. Charlie flipped the channel to the game and Sam brought the older men a cold beer before sitting down himself.

"You guys want some pretzels?" I asked.

"Sure, thanks Bells." Dad said with a grin, all the tension from his earlier stress gone. "That would be great."

I pulled Emily into the kitchen and we filled a couple bowls with them. She kept shooting looks back to Jasper. Handing her one of the bowls, I let her go first and grabbed Jasper's hand on the way by him, pulling him with me.

"Jasper, you know almost everyone already. This is my Dad's friend Billy Black. He's Jacob's Dad." I said pointing him out. Billy looked at him with an almost blank face and nodded. It was about the best reaction I could hope for. "And that's Emily, Sam's fiance." I pointed to my friend who smiled and waved at him.

"Pleased to meet ya both." He bowed slightly and smiled.

"I'm so glad to meet you." Emily said. "Bella told me so much about you!"

"Did she?" He said, looking at me with curiosity.

I blushed a little and squeezed his hand, sending him some affection. Emily nodded and gave me a devilish grin.

"She didn't mention that accent though." Emily grinned so large it looked like her face would crack and I could almost feel her happiness for me.

I led Jasper to the last unoccupied armchair, setting the bowl down on the coffee table. He sat down, pulling me into his lap. I saw the Quileute's expressions of disbelief at that move but I ignored it, popping a pretzel into my mouth.

"I was just telling Bella earlier that I decided to retire when my twenty years is up at the force." Dad said. Everyone turned to him in shock, saving me from having to answer any questions about my seating arrangements.

"You're retiring?" Billy said.

"Yep. It will give me more time to fish." He grinned. "Was thinking of selling this old place. Maybe buying something on your land if you'd allow an old pale-face like me to move in."

"You'd need approval from the council." Billy said seriously. "Luckily, I happen to know a council member." He winked.

"And I happen to know the Chief would welcome you on our lands." Sam said smiling.

"I thought you didn't have a Chief?" Charlie said confused.

"We didn't until recently." Billy said quickly. "But Sam here is our Chief... _for now_." He looked pointedly at his son who rolled his eyes.

Charlie followed the action, catching on to what was happening quickly. I could see the spark of knowledge as he put the pieces together. I mouthed "Alpha" to him since everyone was staring at him instead of me. He nodded slightly as he mulled it over.

"I see." He said under his breath.

"Nothing would make me happier Charlie than to have you join us on the reservation. I've always thought of you as my brother." Billy looked at me, his eyes sad. I could see how much the secrets he kept weighed on him.

I sent my concern to Jasper and some indecision, hoping he'd catch on. Was there any reason to hide anymore? Charlie knew pretty much everything, so did Billy. Why make them suffer? I felt Jasper send back some encouragement and I relaxed. The real question now was would my Dad want Billy to know. I'd have to be careful to figure that out.

"So guys, we decided to have barbeque brought in for my going away party tomorrow night on First Beach. You know, since I'm moving to Phoenix for college." I stressed the last statement, adding everything but an exaggerated wink to the end. "I asked Jasper to be my date for the evening, that's okay isn't it?"

"Why would Jasper need permission?" Charlie asked, right on cue.

Billy looked uncomfortable. In the past the two men had argued about the Cullens, it getting so heated they spent weeks avoiding each other over it. Charlie looked at me and I looked between him and Billy, giving him a small shrug and a wink. I hoped he'd get the ball rolling for me.

"Is this because he's a vampire?" Charlie said in a straight voice as if he was commenting on the weather.

"I don't want to argue with you Charlie. I know you don't believe in our legends." Billy said, not realizing how serious his friend was.

"I'm not arguing with you this time Billy." Dad said, taking a sip of beer. "I've always known, I just didn't agree that they were boogeymen."

"What?" Billy said, choking a little on a pretzel. "You knew? I thought you didn't remember the legends."

"Your grandfather swore me to secrecy about all of it. You remember how much time I spent taking care of him? I probably know more about the legends than you do." He chuckled. "I never told a soul until I realized Bella was about to take off and I had to tell her to stop her. Turns out she knows more than all of us."

The room was full of shocked faces except for mine and Jay's. I couldn't help smiling as I realized my Dad would have people he could confide in if he needed to and a pack that would protect him. He would be safe with them and if I was ever able to get back around here to visit, I could see my father again.

"You know Bella's not going to Phoenix right?" Jake said finally.

"Yeah, but if anyone asks, that's where she went. And no, I don't know where she's really going and I wouldn't tell you if I did." Charlie said firmly. "I'm trusting Jasper here with her. She's got a lot to deal with thanks to the Cullens and he seems like the kind of man that doesn't lose."

"I've never lost yet." Jasper agreed.

Sam's focus shifted to Jasper. His almost black eyes meeting the red ones in thought.

"Jacob told me you intentionally killed a man." He accused, despite Emily's disapproving nudge.

"I was there Sam." I said in defense. "We were walking in New York City and there was this guy getting beaten to death. I told Jasper to do it, I gave him permission. That murderer was brutal, he was laughing as he beat his victim." I spat out the words, angry. "If anything, Jasper was too kind to him. The monster didn't even suffer, Jasper finished him off quickly. The victim died slowly, bled onto the street and finally died in pain."

"Oh sweetheart." Charlie said. "I'm so sorry you saw that. That's why I became a cop, to stop things like that from happening."

"It's okay Dad. I'm alright with it. It was horrible, but knowing he's dead and can't hurt anyone else..." I trailed off. Charlie nodded in understanding.

"One time exception for the party." Sam said. "Should you want to visit after Bella's change." He glanced at Charlie, noting his expression. "Call ahead and we can discuss it."

"Thanks Sam." I said. "I was hoping to see Dad again someday, after I meet with the Volturi and everything calms down again."

"I figured." He sighed dramatically. Emily gave him a kiss and I snuggled into Jasper, feeling like everything was falling into place.

When the game started the guys got into it, including Jasper. Sam switched seats with Emily and we chatted quietly about the party, making a list of things we'd need that wouldn't be provided by the caterers. Even though the guys seemed engrossed in the action, they'd occasionally contribute an idea here and there.

Jacob said the pack would get firewood for us. Sam said he'd provide folding tables and lawn chairs. Billy volunteered to bring a stereo as long as no one put any rap music on. Emily and I added paper goods and utensils, chips and drinks. We'd need several coolers and ice to keep everything cold. She suggested we get the guys to each bring one along and I agreed.

Jasper said he'd go pick up everything we needed to buy so we made sure to be specific since he was both a man and a vampire and therefore doubly clueless. He looked affronted at our descriptions but conceded that it might be helpful.

I ordered pizzas partway through the game. I wasn't really hungry but I knew Jacob could always eat so they wouldn't go to waste. Cold pizza was just as good anyhow.

All throughout the evening I just tried to take everything in. It might be years before I could do this again. Just hang out with my father and our friends like this in front of the TV. Dad kept giving me looks every now and then that were both happy and wistful, as if his thoughts were along the same line as mine.

When the game was over, everyone said goodbye and our guests filed out. I wasn't cheering for either team, not being a sports fan, but "our" team had won so everyone was happy. I hugged everyone, even Billy, letting Charlie walk them out as I cleaned up the empty drinks and plates. Jasper helped me with it and we were done in no time, the living room back to normal by the time Charlie walked back inside.

"Wow, you two work fast." He commented.

"Yeah, I had help." I grinned.

"Was there anything you wanted to do tomorrow?" Dad asked me, looking awkward. We hadn't really done very much together since I moved here. We had a good relationship, but our interests were very different. To me it was enough just to spend some time with him, it worked for us. Now that time was running out, it felt like we should _do_ something.

"Let's go fishing Dad." I said with a smile.

"You don't like fishing." He frowned.

"I like the quiet. It's relaxing. Just don't expect me to clean any fish, deal?" I smirked.

"Deal." He laughed. "We leave at 6am. I still have your fishing pole from when you were a kid. Jasper, you coming along? I have a spare pole." He offered.

"No, you two go. I have a shopping list to get." He held up the paper Emily and I had worked on. I could tell it was an excuse. He could get those things in no time at all. He was just trying to give me some time with my father.

"Alright, well I doubt we'll be out there all day anyhow." Charlie nodded. "I'm sure Bella will get bored before too long with just the old man for company." He chuckled as he went to get the fishing gear ready.

"See you in the morning." I called out to him as he headed down to the basement.

I heard a muffled reply and went upstairs to shower and get ready for bed. Jasper took his shower after mine and I waited for him in my room. I heard a knock on the door and Dad's head poked in a moment later.

"Jasper staying up here?" He asked awkwardly.

"Yeah." I said. "That okay?"

I was an adult, but I was still living under my father's roof for now and it was a bit awkward having my boyfriend staying with me. Jasper would be staying up here no matter what Charlie said, but it felt right to get his approval.

"I trust you Bells. I mean, you just started dating him after all... and you're all grown up now, it's none of my business anyway... I mean... umm..." He blushed tomato red.

"Dad!" I said, mortified.

"Goodnight!" He said retreating.

I pulled the covers up over my head as I heard him go into his room and close his door. I felt a wave of humor coming from Jasper and sent back annoyance. Sure, he could find it funny... Charlie wasn't _his_ father!

A minute later Jasper came into the room, shutting off the light and slipping into bed with me, still chuckling. I huffed and crossed my arms, resisting his attempts to kiss me by turning my head.

"Darlin' I can tell you aren't really angry with me." He whispered, kissing my cheek.

I rolled my eyes and turned to face him. His gift was inconvenient right now. I wasn't through being embarrassed. When I saw he was still slightly damp from the shower and only wearing soft cotton pants without a shirt, I changed my mind.

"I missed you today." He said softly. "I'm becoming addicted to your lips." He kissed me softly. "I don't know how I'll stand it tomorrow when I won't be able to see you."

"You should have agreed to come with us." I said, my mouth almost touching his as I spoke.

"No, you and your father need some time alone." He said. "I will have you to myself soon enough."

He let his lips find mine again and he attacked me eagerly. His lips forced mine open, his tongue exploring my mouth. I moaned into him, my hands locking into his soft, damp hair. He pulled me against him, his hands sliding down my sides to rest on my waist, his fingers making little circles on my hip bones that were driving me insane with desire.

I panted, feeling like electricity was shooting through every nerve on my body as I felt his fingers touch my skin where my shirt had ridden up, pushing my pelvis into his as he pressed against me. His mouth pulled away from mine as I gasped for air, trailing open mouthed kisses along my jaw and to my ear.

"I would do anything for you my Bella." He whispered. "I would give you anything."

He moved back to my mouth, kissing me firmly. I wanted to reply, but he kept me too busy and distracted. His palms flattened against my sides, the cool temperature doing little to cool my desires. My own hands were moving along his back, exploring territory I had yet to see for myself.

When I needed to breath again, I tugged his hair and made him look me in the eyes. The moonlight from outside reflected off his face, making him look even more beautiful.

"All I want is you." I told him. "I love you Jasper."

His eyes reflected back his feelings and he rolled us onto our sides, cradling me against him. His fingers traced my face softly and he swallowed a few times.

"I love you Bella. Whatever is left of my heart is yours."

The emotions flowing between us were overwhelming. I felt tears leaking from my eyes as we stared at each other, but I couldn't stop them. Jasper wiped them away with his fingers, bringing them to his lips and tasting them. I watched in fascination.

"It's going to be hard for me too." I admitted. "Being away from you tomorrow. You're right thought. I do need some time with Charlie. What will you do all morning?"

"Besides get the stuff on the list?" He smiled. "I need to check in with Peter. See how the others are doing. I thought if you didn't mind I'd pack up your things. You wanted to leave right after the party, right?"

"Yeah, I don't want a long goodbye." I said.

"Besides clothes, is there anything you want to take?"

"My bike. My scrap book." I thought about it. There wasn't much else that couldn't be replaced. I lost my attachment to my books between Renee and Edward abandoning me and I didn't listen to my music anymore. The scrap book I had gotten from Charlie for my birthday I had re-done with pictures of my Dad and friends from the rez after finding Edward had taken his picture from it. It held the people I wanted to remember in it now.

"That's all?" He asked.

"Yeah. Nothing else matters to me." I shrugged.

"I'll get it all packed then and load up the truck tomorrow. I'm getting Charlie a cell phone as well. I noticed he seems attached to his old phone, but it would be better if he had a reliable way to get in touch with us."

"I tried convincing him before. He sorta hates cell phones." I warned him.

"I think I can change his mind." Jasper winked.

"You're not going to use your gift on him are you?" I accused.

"I won't have to. I'll just explain how it's for talking to you and he'll take it." He told me confidently. I wasn't convinced, but I let him have his illusions. I hoped I was there when Charlie refused it.

"Good luck with that." I smirked.

Jasper just kissed me again, projecting his confidence. I glanced a look at the clock, noticing time getting away from me. I'd need to be up early to go fishing with Dad and I felt wide awake now.

"Jay?" I whispered. "Would you help me sleep? I need to but I'm not feeling tired."

I snuggled down into the pillows, getting comfortable and Jasper helped me get the covers just right. He had his back to the wall now and I turned to lean into him, my back resting against his chest. I pulled his arm around me and sighed happily.

I felt the emotions seeping into me. Contentment was the first thing I felt along with Jasper's love. I smiled softly as the sleepy feelings drifted in, gently lulling me into a peaceful sleep.

"I love you." I managed to get out before I went under.

I heard him repeat the words back to me just as I dropped into unconsciousness.


	22. Chapter 22

**(Bella)**

Fishing with Charlie was nice. I hadn't actually fished with him since I was a little girl. Most of the time I had just played with Jake while Billy and he had done the actual fishing. Dad had to show me how to bait my hook using worms and I managed to do it without skewering myself. He had to cast for me though, that was a bit beyond my skill level.

Once we had our lines in the water, we just enjoyed the early morning quiet. I could see why Charlie enjoyed this so much. It was so peaceful out here, away from everything. You could let your mind wander and mull over your problems without any pressure.

I let myself think about what happened at the Cullens for the first time since it happened. I had been so afraid of seeing them again after they left me, afraid it would tear open old wounds. Instead, I found myself almost ambivalent to them and that surprised me. I had missed them so much when they left. All of them, even Rosalie just a little bit, despite my feelings on her and Em's unhealthy relationship.

Seeing them again after time had passed allowed me to view them in a new light. I had always felt so inferior, like I wasn't good enough. I wasn't the same anymore, not that girl. Now I could see they weren't perfect like I had thought, on the contrary they had some huge flaws. I had changed since September, I had grown up a lot. I no longer believed in fairy tales.

When I realized Esme's intentions that day, I didn't even consider trying to stop her. Normally, I didn't think suicide was the right choice for anyone. But she wasn't human. She was a vampire, cursed with eternity and a memory that would remain just as clear now as it would be for the next thousand years. The pain she lived with would never dull, never get any easier. Her husband refused to help her, and she wouldn't leave him.

If I thought there was the slimmest chance that Carlisle would do the right thing and think of her for once in his life, it would have changed everything. Esme could tell that would never happen and she acted out of desperation and anger. I was sure that taking Edward with her was just a bonus in her eyes. She just wanted it to end.

I was glad I had time to sort out my own issues somewhat. All things considered, I was almost at peace with how my life was. I had my problems, but I had come to terms with them. My mother leaving was hard, but I had accepted it. My father and I were closer now than ever before and I had the prospect of keeping contact with him. My friends were supportive and my new coven would be by my side. I would be okay with my forever.

Edward leaving me like he did probably saved my life. I had six months to recover from having the mate bond broken. Six months to heal in a way that would have been impossible if I hadn't been human. If I had been turned before he left me, I probably would have gone insane like Victoria and needed someone to end me. If I hadn't had that time to heal and he had died, I would have wanted to die with him.

Because of having that time, I didn't feel any affection for him any longer. I still hurt, but it was the pain of betrayal and abandonment that echoed in me. It grew less and less sharp everyday now. Time started the process, but the real healing happened when I began letting it out, first to my Quileute friends, then again to Jasper.

When Edward died, it was like the last tendrils of the bond had burned up with him and I felt free. The new feelings that had begun between Jasper and I had pushed aside the old hurt, leaving less and less room for it. While I knew it was still there, it was less important, easy to ignore. I didn't want to pay attention to it now, not when I could focus on Jasper instead.

Carlisle shocked me the most out of all the Cullens. I had once thought of him as the perfect father figure. He had played the role very well, but it was obvious that he had always favored Edward. When he chose him over me it hurt me more than I realized. I was angry with him for leaving me, feeling like he should have known better than to have done that to me. When I was greeted like a guest it set me off and I couldn't help letting out some of my anger.

Later when he turned on me, I wanted to rage at him, but he wasn't worth it. Carlisle lost everything he cared about and nothing I could say to him would hurt him any more than what had already happened because of his own doing. It was his house of cards that burned up that day, I didn't even have to light the match. Although I did provide the lighter, I suppose.

My thoughts shifted to Emmett. He seemed to be adjusting pretty well to life with the Whitlocks, or it seemed so in the brief time we got to spend all together. I didn't know how he would do in the long-term. All he ever knew was life with the Cullens, with Rosalie. It couldn't be easy on him. I'd seen him with a serious expression more in the short time we were together in New York than the entire time I'd known him before.

I wondered if he had been hiding his serious side before, playing his own part in the Cullen act, or if he was struggling with his own feelings on everything that happened. It bothered me that everything was happening so fast and I didn't have time to find out. Tonight would be my party and after that I'd be on the way to Montana to be changed.

Between the three days of pain and the stories I'd heard about how unfocused it is at first as a newborn, I hoped I could still be there for my brother. I decided when I got back to the house I'd give him a call and see how he was doing. Just thinking about it made me smile.

I looked over at Charlie, his look serene and contemplative. He had a lot to mull over himself today. His life had been turned upside-down this week almost as much as mine had. Dad was taking everything much better than I ever imagined he would. Maybe that's where I got it from. Most people would crack if they had to deal with everything that got thrown at me.

"I think you got a bite Bells." Charlie said, pointing to the end of my line where my red and white bobber was being pulled under.

"Oh!" I said, focusing.

I jerked on the line, remembering something about trying to set the hook, managing to whack my dad in the head with the pole in the process.

"Sorry!" I said, nearly dropping the fishing pole.

Charlie just laughed it off, waving his hands at me as I panicked.

"Don't drop it honey. Reel it in." He chuckled, miming the movements as he rubbed his temple.

I bit my lower lip and jerkily wound the line in. Whatever was on the other end felt like a rock. My arm was getting tired embarrassingly fast but I tried not to let it show. When the end got close to the shore, Dad got a long poled net and scooped up my catch.

"A turtle!" He crowed.

"What?" I said, baffled.

"Come look Bells, just watch your fingers." He smiled. "These things like to steal your bait. Usually they let go before you can bring them in, but you managed to snag his shell somehow."

I carefully looked in the net at the huge irritated turtle, wondering how we were supposed to get him off my hook.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Just watch my line for me, I'll take care of him." Dad chuckled again, shaking his head.

He dug around in his tackle box, coming back with a pair of pliers and a metal glove on one hand. I watched as he used his boot to hold the turtle steady, reaching in with his gloved hand and pulling at the hook with the pliers, bending it until it worked free.

"Is he hurt?" I asked, worried that the animal would need a vet or something.

"No, once the hook is out he'll be fine. The problem is a lot of fishermen just cut the line and leave the hook in. Doing that can cause a lot of problems. He'll heal up." Charlie said, inspecting the small cut. "It came out clean." He picked the turtle up, letting it go in the shallows where it quickly took off.

"At least I caught something." I smiled ruefully.

Dad fixed up my line again with a fresh hook and cast it before taking back his pole. The excitement seemed to have disrupted the peace from earlier and he didn't slip back into the silence of earlier.

"Are you sure about all this Bells?" He asked. "Becoming one of them?"

"Yeah. I don't want to live my life looking over my shoulder. Besides, I think I was always meant to be like them. I've never fit anywhere, but I fit with them. I feel normal when I'm with them."

"Normal, huh." He scoffed. "I suppose I can see that."

I started thinking about Jasper and couldn't help but to miss him. He'd woken me this morning before my Dad could come in to find us together, which I was grateful for. As accepting as he was, he didn't need to see us wrapped around each other in bed. I'd surprised Charlie by having breakfast ready for us when he had come downstairs. I grinned thinking about how Jasper watched me move around the kitchen, stealing kisses whenever I passed by him.

"You're thinking about Jasper." My Dad said, watching my face carefully. I blushed, caught.

"I guess I was." I admitted.

"Do you love him?" He asked gruffly, a bit uncomfortable.

"Yes." I said, looking out at the water. "I wasn't looking for it, but it just happened. I just know he won't hurt me. I trust him."

"I know your mother and I weren't the best example to you, and after what happened with Edward..." He trailed off. "I know you aren't a little girl anymore Bella. You'll always be my baby, but you've grown up so much. I hate letting you go." He looked out at the water like I was, his voice a bit unsteady.

"I know." I said, my voice conveying more than those two words.

We didn't end up catching anything for the rest of the morning. Both of us were content to soak in the atmosphere and let the rest go unsaid. I replayed my childhood in my mind, all the times I had spent with my father. I tried to recall as much detail as I could, making the memories fresh in my mind. I hoped I would keep them in the change.

When it was close to noon, we gave up on catching fish and packed up the gear. Charlie gave me a one armed hug and kissed my temple before handing me the small cooler with our drinks in it and asking me to carry it to the car while he got the rest. I smiled as I walked behind him, glad we had spent the time together. I should have come with him before now.

Pulling into the driveway, I could see the bikes were already in the back of Jasper's pickup, strapped down in the bed under my blue tarp. Our clothes and his guitar were in the backseat, protected from the elements. Charlie's expression looked tense seeing it, knowing what it meant.

"You two leaving straight from the party?" He asked.

"Yeah." I didn't need to say why. Neither of us wanted a teary goodbye. We'd both do better with an audience to keep things light.

Jasper was waiting for me beside his truck. As soon as I was out of Charlie's cruiser, he walked over to me and swept me up in a hug. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his neck. His scent surrounded me and I breathed him in. I could feel his relief at seeing me again and I sent him mine as well. He set me down and took my hand as we went into the house with Charlie.

"You catch anything?" He asked smiling.

"Bella caught a turtle." Charlie chuckled. "Other than that, they just weren't biting today."

"It was still fun." I admitted with a grin at my father. "I think I might like it more without the fish-gutting part actually." Charlie rolled his eyes, but I think he secretly agreed with me.

I made us both a sandwich for lunch while Jasper put away the fishing gear. I poked around in the shopping bags on the counter, making sure everything we needed for later was in there. The only thing we'd need yet was to pick up ice for the coolers on the way to the beach.

"I left the drinks outside in my truck." Jasper said.

"Perfect." I told him.

He pulled out the cell phone for Charlie and sat down across from my father, looking like he was preparing for a battle.

"Sir, I've heard you don't like these things." He started, pushing the small silver phone across the table. "But I'm asking you to make an exception. I've programmed in Bella's number as well as mine for you already."

"I don't need a cell phone. I have a phone in the house." Charlie's mustache twitched in irritation.

"I know that, but with this you can get in touch with us any time. Day or night. You don't have to give out the number to anyone else if you don't want to." Jasper reasoned. Charlie looked at the phone, his resolve cracking a little.

"Any time?" He said.

"Yes. Our kind don't sleep. If there is any trouble or you just want to talk about anything, use this phone to call."

Charlie reached for the phone flipping it open and examining it carefully. I was shocked he wasn't fighting more, Jasper had been right.

"I'll take it then. How much do I owe you." He said grudgingly.

"Nothing. It's for you to talk to Bella." Jasper said. "I'll be taking care of all of her needs from now on."

Charlie's eyes darted between us, his eyes tightening into a glare which he focused on Jasper. He may have been accepting to a point, but Jasper's statement just opened a new can of worms in his mind.

"You know, one thing I couldn't find when I found out about Montana was any sort of employment record for you. How exactly are you planning to support yourself and my daughter?" Charlie put the phone back on the table, breaking out his "cop stare".

"I'm independently wealthy." Jasper said, causing Charlie's eyebrow to raise. "If you need a description I suppose investor would be most accurate. Stock trades and real estate mostly. I haven't held a traditional job since I was a human. Back then I worked on my family's farm until I joined the army."

"So if she wants to go to college one day?" He asked.

"She could go to any college she wants and tuition would never be an issue." Jasper replied. "Bella will never want for anything."

Charlie nodded, still a bit reluctant as he picked the phone back up. He tested it out by calling my phone before hanging up the call and pocketing it.

"Thank you." He said gruffly.

I excused myself to make sure nothing was forgotten in my room. It looked just about how I left it. I opened the closet and found it empty, the drawers on my dresser too. My scrap book was gone, but everything else was just where I had left it this morning. I sat on my bed, remembering I had wanted to call Emmett. I dialed his number and smiled as he picked up.

"Bella Boo!" He bellowed into the phone.

"Hey Em!" I said. "How's the road trip?"

"Going good. We're in South Dakota now, so almost there." He said excited.

"Nice. We'll be heading out tonight. I'm throwing a party at the rez before we leave here. They are even letting Jay come."

"Really? That's cool of them." Emmett said, sounding impressed.

"Yeah, the pack are great. Listen, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I know we didn't get to talk much and I am worried about you brother bear."

"Aww, I'll be okay." Emmett said sounding a bit embarrassed. "Can't keep me down for long little sister."

"Good." I smiled. "You going to teach me to hunt bears when I get there?"

"You bet!" He said with enthusiasm. "I wasn't sure you'd want to, you know with how things happened in New York."

I could hear his hesitation as he brought up the hunting trip. Emmett was the only golden eyed Whitlock now that Jasper had changed over.

"I'm not making up my mind either way until after I'm like you." I told him. "I don't think it's something I can understand yet."

"I get that. I have a hard time understanding how you can eat some of the stuff you eat too. Smells horrible!" He joked.

"You should see if you like coffee. Peter loves it. Drinks it all the time." I said smirking. I was sure Peter was listening in on the call from within the car. I was gift wrapping him this prank on Emmett.

"Really?" Emmett said, obviously curious. "I remember I used to have that when I was human."

"Yep. Ask him about it when you get home to Montana. I'm sure he'll make you some."

"Cool, I will."

"I gotta get going. I want to spend the rest of the day with Charlie while I can. You guys be safe, okay? I'll see you soon."

"You too Bells. Take care." Emmett said as I hung up.

I quickly sent a text to Peter. _You're welcome!_ I knew he'd have fun laughing as Emmett actually tried drinking the coffee instead of just smelling it.

I got a reply immediately. _I'll take pictures._ And I giggled.

The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging out around the house with Charlie and Jasper. I cleaned while the guys sat in front of the TV, but we kept up a running conversation about Charlie's new plan to move to the rez and different properties he was considering.

Most of the buildings for sale weren't quite what he was looking for so Jasper suggested building something instead. My Dad seemed impressed with how much Jay knew about the construction business and what was involved in getting a home built. From zoning to permits, Jasper seemed to know it all. Charlie ended up agreeing to go that route and said he'd call him on "that damn phone" to get advice when he was ready to start.

At five o'clock Jasper and I got in his truck and followed my father's cruiser out to the beach to set up. We made a quick stop for ice and filled up on gas while we were at it.

The beach was already teaming with people. The pack had made a good start on the firewood and Sam had set up the tables. Emily was sitting in a chair watching them work, enjoying the rare opportunity to relax. Sue and Harry, along with their kids Leah and Seth pulled in behind us and Charlie went over to say hello while Jasper unloaded the supplies from the truck.

Quil and Embry came over and helped us haul everything down the beach and I went with Leah to go sit with Emily as the guys filled the coolers and set out the chips and paper plates.

"So that's Jasper?" Leah said. "Emily was telling me about him." She smirked.

"She was?" I grinned at her.

"Yep!" Emily said.

Jasper heard his name and looked our way, shooting the three of us a grin.

"You sure like them pale." Leah teased.

"I'm almost as white as he is!" I pulled up my sleeve, holding it out next to Leah's dark skin.

"True." Emily laughed. "Actually you might be whiter than he is vampire-girl."

"Hey Bells!" Jacob called. "When's the food getting here?" He was eyeing the unopened potato chips.

"You can wait 45 minutes." I told him. Turning back to the girls I continued. "He acts like he never gets fed."

We chased the wolves away from the tables and finished the setup ourselves. Everyone had arrived and I looked around, memorizing everyone's faces. My Dad had grabbed a chair with the elders and Sue, telling them about my turtle from this morning. I could tell he was enjoying himself and again I was glad I went fishing with him.

Sam was just lighting the fire and Jared was sticking torches in the ground around the area to light up things a bit more. Billy's radio was tuned to a classic rock station and and everyone was having a good time. I spotted Jasper sitting with Embry and Quil, talking quietly and smiled. Even Paul was behaving himself, no doubt on Sam's orders. He was staying as far from Jasper as he could I noticed, but other than that everything was going smoothly.

When the barbeque arrived Jacob and Seth helped them bring everything out to our spot on the beach. Jasper went with them and signed for the delivery, giving the drivers a big tip from their reactions. It smelled amazing and with the fire going strong we all crowded around the tables filling up plates. Once I grabbed my food, I ended up sitting next to the fire leaning against Jasper.

"Would you tell us what happened to Edward and Esme Cullen?" Sam asked while we ate. "Jacob told us they had died, but not how."

"Esme lost her infant son when she was a human and tried to kill herself by jumping off a cliff. Carlisle changed her before she died, but she never got past it." Jasper started. "To make things worse, Carlisle always favored his first changed, Edward, even above his own wife. While we were there, she finally had enough and asked him to choose between her and Edward. Carlisle refused to do so. Esme then attacked Edward. During the course of the fight, she pushed them both into the flames, killing them both." Jasper finished while I picked at my food.

"So you were not involved?" Sam asked.

"No, we witnessed it and prevented anyone from interfering as the pair fought. However, the Cullens will likely blame my coven for their own problems anyhow. Especially since Emmett decided to leave them and join with me.

"Emmett. He's the big one right?" Jacob asked.

"Yes. The remaining Cullens are Carlisle, Alice, and Rosalie."

"At our last meeting we came to a decision." Billy spoke up. "We have dissolved the treaty. If the Cullens come back here we will give them a warning to leave. After that there will be no warnings. They may not feed from humans, but they can still do harm to them." His aged face turned toward me. "With only three of them now they would be wise to listen to our warning."

"That is your business." Jasper said. "My advice to you is not to seek them out. If they come to you, give them your warning, but don't go looking for them. The tribe doesn't need to attract their attention when they have all but forgotten about you."

"Thank you for your advice." Sam said. "We agree and will do as you say."

After that the conversation lightened up some. I told everyone the cover story of my going to Phoenix, not revealing our true destination. I could tell no one really believed it, but they didn't question it and I was grateful for that. I made sure I had everyone's phone number programmed into my phone, promising to call and keep up on the rez gossip.

Charlie let everyone know about his upcoming retirement and plans to move onto the rez which drew the spotlight off of me. Everyone started suggesting land he could use to build his cabin on when he told them he was going to have something built from scratch. Sam even offered to take him around the area on wolf-back to check out the various spots which really got him excited.

As the night wore on I started to feel the early start catching up with me and had to fight off my yawns. I didn't want the night to end. As much as I wanted to get on with my life, tomorrow would mean all this would be forever in my past. I leaned against Jasper and tried to fight my heavy eyelids, each blink seeming to take longer than the last.

I must have dozed for a little while because I woke up in Jasper's arms. I was being carried across the beach toward his truck. Charlie was walking with us, talking softly to him.

"You take care of my girl Jasper. She's all that matters to me." Dad said.

"I will, she means more than my own life." Jasper told him.

"Dad?" I said groggily.

"Bells honey, go back to sleep. You can call me when you get where you're going." Charlie soothed.

"Kay." I mumbled, snuggling into Jasper again and drifting off.

The next time I woke it was daytime and I was sprawled out in the front seat of the truck, my head on Jasper's lap as he drove. He had covered me with his jacket and I pulled it closer as I shifted, trying to get my bearings.

"Are we there yet?" I asked.

"Not even close sugar." He laughed.

"I have to pee." I said, my face scrunching up as I caught a whiff of my own morning breath.

"Humans." Jasper mocked. "I'll find somewhere to stop. You want breakfast too?"

"Umm... Just coffee."

It was another fifteen minutes before he found a turnoff that promised coffee and bathrooms that were up to my standards. I cleaned up and once I was caffeinated I felt much better. I almost bounced as I walked back to the truck where Jasper was refilling on gas, smiling huge.

Now that we were on the road, I could almost see my future before me. We got going again and I took Jasper's hand.

"Let's go home." I said, sending him my certainty.


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: A big thank you to cathy29jes for being reviewer number 300! I appreciate the support and I do reply to reviewers, so if you have any questions or comments please post one. I'll write you back when I get a chance. :)**

**(Bella)**

Jasper offered to stop at a hotel and stretch the trip out into two days, telling me it would take about fifteen hours to drive and that was assuming the roads were all clear of late winter snow. I told him I'd rather just keep going, promising I'd take a nap if I got sleepy. What was the point of getting one more night of sleep in a bed anyhow? Soon enough being tired wouldn't matter. I could tell he wanted to protest, but I sent him my determination and he didn't argue with me.

I didn't have some bucket list in my head. There would be no special last meal or last wild experience on the agenda. Drive-thru food was good enough. I did splurge and get a shake instead of a soda with my value meal though. You only live once, right?

Going through the mountains was a bit scary, especially at the speeds we were going. I had full confidence in Jasper's driving, but it still made my stomach twist a bit to look out the window and see the drop off just to the side of the vehicle. I chickened out and stopped looking, instead hiding my face in Jasper's shoulder. He was amused but held me close just the same.

It was late afternoon when Jasper told me we were almost there. The area was heavily forested, but the trees were of a different kind than those in Forks. I was excited, my stiff limbs forgotten as we got closer.

"I can't wait to see everyone." I said smiling excitedly.

"I can feel how much you missed them." He grinned at me. "I missed them too."

"How much longer?" I asked for probably the fifth time.

"Almost there now." Jasper said exiting the highway. A mile down the road he turned off onto an unpaved road. There was a large mailbox at the end and an equally large no trespassing sign. "This is our driveway. Two miles in is the house."

"Wow, and I thought the Cullens liked their privacy." I mumbled.

"Peter takes personal space a bit seriously." Jasper smirked.

I remembered the signs Char said he had posted around the property and looked around trying to spot one of his custom warnings. The one at the end of the road had been disappointingly ordinary. Eventually the house came into view.

It was log cabin style, but too big to be called a cabin. It was two stories, the siding rough cut and a bit wild looking, but it blended into the natural surroundings in a way that made it obviously intentional. Instead of wide lawns, the grass around the building was sparse, the light from the overhanging trees not allowing for a proper lawn. It was like the entire structure grew up out of the ground, right in the middle of the forest, disturbing none of the flora around it.

There was a large outbuilding off to the rear of the house with dark wood siding as well. The doors were barn-style, left open presumably for us to park the pickup inside. I could see Emmett's Hummer already in there as well as a couple other cars. Instead of pulling in, Jasper stopped in front of the main house and went around to open my door for me.

"They're here!" I heard Peter yell loudly from somewhere. Three blurs rushed out the front door and I was being spun around before I could blink.

"Bella! You're going to love it here!" Emmett said, hugging me too tight.

"Hey, don't hog Bella. Give her here." Peter protested, taking me from Em and I was being squeezed between Peter and Char in a group hug.

"We missed ya girl." Char said, kissing my cheek as she hugged me with Peter.

"Don't I feel left out." Jasper said, leaning against his truck with his hands in his pockets. "Not even a hello."

"Oh right... Hi Jay." Emmett said. "Actually, I _did_ miss you. Bella tricked me and got me to drink coffee. I forgot I was going to be mad at her."

I laughed. "You forgot? I thought vampires had perfect memory?"

"I got distracted." He mumbled grumpily. "Coffee tastes like swamp mud by the way."

"You get those pictures Peter?" I asked grinning as I was freed from the grip of the couple to make my way to Jasper.

Peter pulled out his phone and showed me the first picture which showed Emmett taking a sip from a coffee cup. Before he could flip to the next one, Em stole the phone away and took off into the woods laughing.

"Emmett, delete a single picture and I'll take your fingers!" Peter screamed, taking off after him.

"Boys." Char said rolling her eyes. "Come on inside, let me show ya around."

The front hall led into a huge living area with two story high ceilings. A balcony ran along three sides of the room like a horseshoe, staircases leading up to the second floor on each side. There was a massive stone fireplace along the back wall in the center with glass doors and windows on either side of it. The walls were in a rich toned wood with thick grains, the ceilings with exposed beams contrasted with white plaster and skylights.

The furniture looked comfortable and lived in. The couches and chairs were buttery soft looking light brown leather. I could see this was a home that was meant to be used instead of put on display. The television and gaming systems dominated the opposite wall from the fireplace and I pictured Emmett playing with Peter and smiled.

Charlotte showed us around to the kitchen, which was to the left of the entrance through a door. It was beautiful, taking up the front corner of the house with windows on two sides. There was a small table set up in a breakfast nook and very up-to-date appliances. Especially the coffee maker.

"We converted the formal dining room into our office." Charlotte told us, leading us out of the kitchen. "It's not like we'd use it for anything else and when you see the room I know you'll agree it woulda been a waste to let it sit."

We walked out the doorway that should have led to the dining room and instead were in the Whitlock's office. It was a massive room. It was as long as the living room and as wide as the kitchen. The room had windows on both the back and the side of it letting in a lot of natural light, perfect for an office. The wall that bordered the kitchen was lined with bookshelves and there was a sitting area to read with upholstered chairs.

Where the table should have been in a normal dining room instead there was a modern looking desk. It had four laptops set up on it, file cabinets and drawers suspended underneath, and six chairs placed around it.

"The computers are all custom built. Peter is better with the hardware stuff, but I'm the software expert. This is where we track our prey mostly. Our internet connection is amazing." Charlotte said with a wink. "I do a bit of hacking to make sure there is no paper trail left behind from here."

"Wow, that's pretty cool." I said, taking a closer look.

"The equipment over there is more Peter's thing. He's got sensors and cameras around our territory set up to the security system he designed." She pointed.

Against the wall bordering the living room was a bank of twelve monitors above an expensive looking computer system. There were video feeds from around the property displayed on them, allowing us to see if anyone was coming down the driveway to the house or several other places I didn't recognize. There were complicated looking computer read-outs displayed on the computer as well that I couldn't make sense of.

"If anything trips the alarm, it sends a message to Peter's phone." Charlotte told us proudly.

"That's good thinking." Jasper said. "I'll have to get him to show me how this all works."

Charlotte led us back out to the living room and pointed out the main floor bathroom and the guest room that were on the front side of the living room before showing us the rooms on the right side of the house. We went through a door toward the back of the living room into an empty room.

"These are Emmett's rooms." Char said. "He won't mind me showing you around, I'm sure."

I looked around confused at the plain white walls. There was nothing in here at all. Charlotte saw my expression and laughed.

"Oh, this will be his to do what he wants with. We just got here not too long before you so he hasn't had a chance to figure it out yet."

"Right." I said, still looking around. Where did he put his clothes?

Charlotte grabbed my hand and led me to a door at the end of the room near the windows. Jasper followed behind us into a bathroom that was every bit as elaborate as the one in the hotel in New York, but done in a different style. Instead of the white neutral tones, this one was as done in blacks and chromes. The windows were frosted for privacy, but let in a lot of light.

"Emmett's bathroom." Char said, barely slowing down as she pulled me through the room to the door at the other end.

When we came out the other side, it was more what I had been expecting to see when she told us we would be seeing Emmett's room. It was a typical looking bedroom. There was a king-sized bed and standard furniture. Char even showed me the enormous walk in closet. I could tell Emmett hadn't had a chance to personalize it yet, but I could already see his presence starting to fill up the space.

"I get it now." I said, feeling a bit dim. Must be all the driving we did today. "So the other room will be his lounge or whatever he makes it."

"Exactly." Char nodded. "Come on, we still have upstairs to see."

I grabbed hold of Jasper as we followed Charlotte up the closer set of stairs. The stairs were made of halved logs, smoothed and polished like stone.

"This side is ours." Char said. "The other side is for you two.

Charlotte swung open the door over Emmett's empty room to reveal an art studio. I saw a desk with various charcoals and sketches, but what drew my attention were the paintings. There were canvases hanging around the room, an easel set up with a partially completed painting on it. I recognized the style from some of the artwork I had seen around the house.

"This is my studio." She said shyly.

"Char, this is amazing!" I said, walking around and admiring. Her work varied in style, from photo realistic all the way to abstract and everything in between.

"It's nothing really. Just a little something I do to keep busy." Char played off her talent.

"Bullshit. Charlotte you're talented. The only thing I can paint is a fence. You should be proud." Jasper told her, taking in her work like I was.

"I keep telling her that, but she never believes me." Peter said, joining us and giving his mate a kiss. "You'll have to listen now sugar, you've been out voted."

Charlotte shoved him playfully and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You don't give up, do ya." She teased.

"Never when it comes to you." He said sweetly.

"Aww, aren't they cute Jay?" I whispered.

"Adorable." He agreed.

"Hey now, I'm not cute or adorable!" Peter said. "I'm charming. Now let's finish this tour up so you two can see your own rooms." He waggled his eyebrows.

They showed us into their bathroom, which was much like Emmett's only it was done in purple. I laughed at the color and Peter explained he lost a bet with Char and she got to pick the color as the wager. The bedroom was next, decorated in dark blues. We didn't stay in here long, Peter excitedly bringing me along to his room that connected to the side along the front of the house.

"My workshop!" He declared proudly. Inside were tables strewn with all sorts of mechanical and electronic contraptions. The walls were lined with tools and books, a small computer desk in the corner.

"What exactly do you work on in here?" I asked.

"Mostly spy equipment, the occasional booby trap." He grinned wickedly. He flitted over to one of the benches and picked up his latest project. "I'm working on perimeter sensors now that will detect a vampire but ignore any animals that wander past. The current ones I have will sometimes miss one of us going at full speed and I get a lot of false alarms from the wildlife."

"Spy equipment!" Emmett said, poking his head in from the other door that led back out in the hall. "This is awesome man!"

"Emmett hasn't had the grand tour yet." Char said. "We only just got in and the guys wanted to run the borders straight off."

"Hey Pete, I might have some ideas if you need any help. I've seen all the 007 movies." Emmett said.

"Sure, you can take a look later."

We walked out on the balcony, following along to the left side of the house. The next door led to an empty room.

"This side of the upstairs is a mirror of our half." Peter said. "You and Jay will need to decide for yourselves what you want to do with your space. It's just empty for now."

He closed the door and we entered the suite by the far door by the other set of stairs. The only difference between the two empty rooms was the one in the back had windows on two sides where the other had windows only on the front wall. I could see why Char had taken the back, the light would be much better for her painting where Peter didn't need as much for his tinkering.

Our bathroom was done in rich browns and I absolutely loved it. Brown was my favorite color and knowing this room was to be ours made me more excited. I spent more time checking things out, not feeling like I was intruding like I had in the other rooms. The counters and tile were a darker brown while the fixtures were a lighter shade. Our towels were more of a coffee color, complementing the design.

I noticed someone, probably Charlotte, had already stocked my brand of soaps in the shower and my toiletry bag was sitting on the counter already. Jasper must have noticed my confusion because he explained.

"Emmett and Peter brought our things in from the truck."

"Oh, thanks!" I said. I hoped they didn't unpack my clothes too. I wasn't sure I wanted them handling my underwear. It was enough to know Jasper had when he packed up, a fact I had deliberately ignored.

Feeling the need to check, I hurried into the bedroom. I sighed in relief when I saw that our bags had been placed at the end of the bed, all intact. My bathroom stuff hadn't been packed away since I had used it on the trip. I took in the room around me.

The walls were done in silver gray with a dark blue accent wall. There were splashes of orange around the room to brighten it up in the lampshades and a vase of dahlias on the dresser. I would never have picked the colors myself, but they worked really well together and reminded me of Jasper. The king sized bed had a wrought iron headboard, done in a black matte finish and was sitting on a dark blue area rug.

There was a dressing table with mirrors and a stool, upholstered in orange and elaborately patterned with silver stitching. It looked very antique, but not something Alice would have ever appreciated. I was glad she had never been here. The rest of the furniture was very masculine, making up for the difference and balancing the room.

"If you don't like it, we can change things." Jasper said, coming up behind me and speaking into my ear.

"I love it." I told him. "It's very you. Very us." I turned in his arms, stepping into his embrace.

"Now that you've seen the house, do you want to see the grounds? We have a heated swimming pool you might like." Jasper said while pulling me closer. "Or I could take out out to the lake, show you around our land."

"I think I want to stay right here." I said. I noticed that we were alone and wondered when that happened. "Where did everyone go?"

"For a run, doing a patrol of our borders. They'll be gone for a while. They wanted to give us some privacy."

"Privacy? What exactly did they think we'd be doing?" I asked, kissing his neck. I wasn't tall enough to reach his lips, but I didn't mind at all. He moaned my name softly, but the emotions I got from him were hesitant so I pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"They gave us privacy because they know you wanted to be changed right away. Is that still what you want Bella? We can wait until you're ready." He said, his voice sounding strained.

"Oh!" I said. My mind had gone into the gutter at the thought of alone time and I had lost focus. Now that we were here, I was suddenly nervous about being bitten. I didn't really want to wait, but the thought of it actually happening was a bit terrifying.

"You're not ready." Jasper said flatly. "I can feel how scared you are."

"No, that's not it." I objected. "I want this. I just know what it will be like and I can't help but be a little scared." Jasper pulled away, sitting on the bed. I followed him, not wanting to be alone. He looked stiff, his face conflicted as if he didn't believe me. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, frustrated.

Being copped up in Jasper's pickup for the long drive left me feeling a bit greasy and I felt gross. As much as our relationship had progressed, I wasn't ready to take it to the next level yet, we were really just starting out. But at the same time, the thought of separating from him long enough to get clean right now was out of the question. I gathered up my courage, Jasper watching me carefully, no doubt monitoring my emotions.

"Come with me." I said, hoping he wouldn't ask questions.

His expression was perplexed as he took my hand. I led us into the bathroom, turning on the taps to the soaker tub and adjusting the temperature to just a little too hot. As the steam billowed up, I turned around, facing Jasper. My anxiety hit the roof as I slipped my hand under the edge of his shirt, working the material up, but he stopped me.

"Bella, what are you doing?" He asked me, his fingers circling my wrists gently but firmly.

"Taking a bath." I said, trying to continue taking off his shirt, but he held my hands in place.

"You are taking off _my_ shirt." He said, stating the obvious. "I can feel your emotions, don't do anything you aren't ready for darlin'. I'll wait for you in the bedroom, there's no rush."

"Don't go." I whispered. "I want you to take a bath with me. Please?" I said, looking into his crimson eyes. He must have agreed with what he saw there because he allowed me to continue.

I quickly stripped him of his shirt, allowing my hands to slide down his chest as the material fell to the floor. His breathing hitched and his eyes darkened. Jasper growled and his lips fell on mine, his desire over-riding my nervousness for the moment. I kept the kiss from getting out of control and he pulled back, confused. I put my finger to his lips, keeping him from asking anything else.

I didn't want to give him the wrong idea. While I desired him and we had gotten a little carried away before, today wasn't about that. I didn't want my first time to be rushed and the fact that we were planning to change me tonight made me reluctant. There would be plenty of time for _that_ after I was like him, when he wouldn't have to hold back and I wouldn't break. When I was a vampire, we'd have all the time in the world.

I took a fortifying breath before removing my own shirt, keeping my eyes away from his face. Sitting down on the edge of the tub, I pulled off my shoes and socks. Jasper copied my movements, radiating his confusion and shooting me glances. He was letting me lead, but he didn't know where I was going. I knew I was giving him mixed signals. I invited him to bathe with me, but pulled away from his kiss.

"Sorry for being confusing. I just want you to hold me, is that okay?" I asked, hoping he'd understand.

"I'll do anything you need me to sugar." He promised.

I smiled at him before getting up and unsnapping my jeans. I slid them down my hips, letting them pile around my ankles before stepping out of them and kicking them away. He hissed softly and I turned around. Jasper's eyes had gone black as he took in the sight of me in my underwear. I hadn't tried to be provocative, but I must have been unintentionally.

"Sorry darlin', but you are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. I can't help reactin'." He said, licking his lips as he spoke.

I blushed at the compliment, turning away from him embarrassed. I heard the taps shut off as I tried to calm down. He moved quickly, standing in front of me and tilting my head up. His eyes expression was serious, but his eyes were soft as he kissed me tenderly. This time he didn't let passion take over, keeping things soft and loving. He sent me confidence and security and I felt my own emotions leveling out with his help.

I stripped off the rest of my clothes with my eyes closed, too scared to open them again. I heard his jeans hit the floor and he lifted me in his arms and carried me into the bath with him, easing me into the water in front of him. I hissed at the hot temperature at first, but soon became accustomed to it, his cool body a natural buffer as I leaned against him.

Having his naked body pressed against mine was strange and exciting, but just knowing he was willing to comfort me when I was feeling so emotionally exposed made me feel so complete. I sunk down further into the water, allowing my muscles to relax and sighed.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"I should be thanking you, my beautiful girl." He said, nuzzling his nose into my neck.

I let the hot water work it's magic on my tension for a little while, just enjoying the feel of Jasper wrapped around me. It was so intimate, but there was no pressure somehow, even with our nakedness. The heat of the water seeped into his stone flesh, making him seem warm like he was a human man. It was strange, I had gotten used to the feel of cold skin.

When the water lost some of it's heat, I reached for the soap and began lathering it into my hair. Jasper helped me rinse and conditioned it for me. His fingers on my scalp were incredibly relaxing and I almost fell asleep as he worked the solution through my locks.

"The amount of trust and love I feel coming from you is breathtaking." He said softly, as he washed the last of the suds from my hair.

"I'm ready now Jasper." I told him, tilting my head to the side. He didn't react for a minute. I didn't say anything or move from my relaxed position in the bathtub. I didn't open my eyes or flinch as I felt him finally move. He slowly lowered his mouth to my exposed neck, kissing it softly. I smiled softly, feeling his love for me before his teeth broke the skin.

The bite of his teeth was so sharp and precise I didn't have time to feel pain from it. There was the slightest sting, like a papercut. It reminded me of that other papercut, so long ago now and how different this was. I brought my hand up to thread through his golden hair, as I did when we kissed. His soft hair was just as nice between my fingers now.

I could tell Jasper was drinking my blood for the first few seconds, but I didn't begrudge him a taste. I trusted that he wouldn't go too far. I wondered if having less blood would make the turn any easier or harder to deal with. Before I could say anything, I felt the burn start.

I gasped at the first sensation, but there was no slight increase. It went from a sting to an inferno in a matter of moments. I stiffened involuntarily and with my next inhale, I would have screamed if I hadn't known what was coming. Instead I clenched my teeth and tried not to struggle against him as he pumped even more venom into my vein, even though my every impulse was telling me to rip away from his teeth and flee.

I could feel Jasper pull his teeth carefully out of my neck and lap at the wound, a small amount of blood leaking into the bath water, a pink cloud expanding outward from my head. My breath was coming in pants, but still I kept my teeth together and the scream bottled up inside. The fire was getting worse, already more intense than what I had felt when James had bit me.

"I'm sorry Bella, I know it hurts. I won't leave you for a second, scream if you need to." Jasper said in my ear as he lifted me from the water.

"Love you. Stay. Just you. Promise." Using the last of my strength, I managed to get out a few words past the pain.

"I promise. I love you too darlin'." He said back, drying us haphazardly with a towel before running us into the bedroom and crawling into the bed with me.

I tried to focus on my shield and block him from feeling my pain, like I had done before with Eleazer in the Cullen house but I couldn't focus on anything right now except the pain itself. I was really hoping to spare him from going through it with me, even knowing he would be pissed at me later for blocking him, but there was no way I could manage it with the agony tearing at my mind. I quickly gave up on trying, instead keeping from screaming as best I could.

The pain was still getting worse as it spread to every inch of my body slowly. Most of the time I think I managed my silence, but I know sometimes I slipped and did scream. I only realized I did because I recognized Jasper's gentle tones hushing me as he held me close and I made myself stop again. It was hard to tell what was happening around me, my awareness was entirely on the pain for the most part.

What seemed like days later, but it must have only been hours, the rest of the coven returned from their patrol. I heard Jasper telling them that I was changing and to stay out, but the rest of the conversation was lost to me. I had my eyes tightly closed and my face pressed into Jasper's chest, but I assume that Jasper kept everyone away and that I was safe.

After that, I became oblivious to the outside world. I was blind and deaf, only able to feel the venom as it worked on me. Whenever I thought I had a handle on the pain it seemed to double and I started to panic. I didn't know how long it had been or how long I had to go. I should have told Jasper to keep me updated before I started this. I needed to know how much longer!

Slowly I began to notice I was able to think around the pain. It was just as intense, but I had more room in my head to work with. I started to frantically recall everything I could about my life, trying not to forget any of my memories. I started with the present, afraid I'd lose something important and worked my way backwards through my childhood. When I got to the end, I reversed the process and went forward again, ending again at Jasper. I lingered in my memories of him, cementing them firmly.

When I was sure I had my memories locked into my head, I tried to range out my senses, trying to get a sense for how long it had been. I couldn't hear anyone in the house besides Jasper and I, but I wasn't sure if that meant we were alone or that the rest of the coven was just being quiet. I tried opening my eyes, but they wouldn't obey my commands yet, the pain too overwhelming to have any sort of control on my body.

My breath was coming in gasps through my open mouth and I wondered if I could manage to ask how long. I tried and my first attempt was just a groan. My second came out as a scream and I stopped trying, hearing the panic in Jasper's voice as he tried to calm me down.

"Easy darlin', I'm right here." He said, stroking my hair. "I wish you'd let me in, I want to help you my stubborn girl. I would take the pain away if you'd let me."

I could feel his lips on my forehead and his naked body pressed against mine as he rocked me gently. It took me a moment to figure out what he was saying. He couldn't feel me or influence me with his gift? I wanted to block him from feeling my pain, but I couldn't do it before. I hadn't tried again, but somehow I was doing it now. I suddenly realized we were naked in bed together and my mind shifted around, confused.

The bath, I remembered. I went back to focusing on my memories. I had missed some of them before, so I tried again, focusing harder on remembering even more this time. Knowing that Jasper wasn't suffering made me feel less stressed about his pain, mine seeming to fade away as part of my mind broke away from my reminiscing to analyze how my shield was working to keep him from feeling my change.

It wasn't just keeping him from feeling my change, I realized, it was like I had built a wall inside myself and I was using it to dull my own pain. I focused and it was like someone turned on the air conditioner. It still hurt, unbelievably so, but it was _less_ than it was. I smiled, maybe more like a grimace, through the pain and forced some triumph out and into Jasper, hoping he'd receive it.

"Bella?" He said shocked. "Darlin' was that you?"

"How long." I hissed out amazed with my discovery.

"One more day." He said, sounding happy. "Just hold on beautiful, you're doing great."

I could feel my control slipping and like a bubble being popped, the shield collapsed. The air conditioner shut off and I gasped in a breath, resigned to suffer through one more day of pain. I thought about trying again, but just holding away the burn for that long was hard. It was worth it to speak to him for just a moment, to let him know I was still here.

Part of my head started counting down the time, my mind able to focus many directions at once. I returned to my detailed cataloging of my life, starting with the present and roaming backward before returning. I made the trip several times, finding new details each rotation. By the forth journey, I had managed to eat up ten hours.

Every hour Char would enter the house and report through the closed door that everything was clear on the borders. Charlotte was staying a half a mile out from the house, running a tight patrol. Emmett was running a mile out. Peter was following the edges, making sure there were no signs of anyone crossing the lines.

I tried to go back to focusing on my memories, but the fire was getting too strong to ignore now. I was lost for the next few hours in the inferno, no rational thoughts in my mind. The last vestiges of Bella Swan were burning to a crisp and Bella Whitlock was being born in the flames.

I could feel my body moving, flailing as I lost control and I could hear screams escaping my mouth no matter how hard I tried to stifle them. Jasper's firm grip restrained me, but I struggled anyhow. My awareness of my surroundings came back and I tensed, sensing that there was someone near Jasper and I.

"Call everyone in!" Jasper yelled to Charlotte. "She's coming out of the change earlier than the full three days."

"Yes sir, Major." Char said sounding alarmed. "We'll all fall back to half mile out. Just call if you need us."

"Good, now go!" He ordered.

I shrieked and almost sat up despite Jasper holding me back. The fire was racing toward my heart now and it was trying to beat out of my chest. There weren't words to describe the feeling as I fought to move. The feeling of being restrained made me panic, and I struggled even harder, flinging away my adversary so I could move again.

I arched up, bowing at an impossible angle as the fire from my heart rolled up and seamed to lodge itself into my throat as the loud pounding noise from my heart stopped. I sagged back down, sighing in relief, only to feel the air rasp over my throat causing a new agony to begin.

I swallowed a few times, the relief of the absence of pain in the rest of my body warring with this new pain I was feeling. I heard movement and my eyes snapped open, my body automatically moving me from my prone position to a crouch on the bed. I scanned the room and saw Jasper, as naked as I was, sitting on the floor where I had flung him.


	24. Chapter 24

**(Alice)**

As much as I wanted to withdraw into my visions and find the best path to bring me safely out of this mess, I couldn't afford to neglect the present right now. I was reasonably sure there wasn't anything that would bring Jasper back, but with Emmett gone and Edward and Esme dead our family was weak right now. I had to pay attention to what was going on around me.

Carlisle was beyond livid. I had never seen him like this. Luckily, he didn't blame me for anything that happened, even though I had brought Jasper into the household. Rosalie on the other hand was upset with me. I should have been more careful in my wording around her. I had to do everything I could to try to make Bella stay, Rose just didn't understand that.

As soon as we were sure the _Whitlocks_ had left with Emmett we had put out the fire on the back lawn and recovered the ashes of Edward and Esme. There was no way to separate them, unfortunately, although Carlisle did try at first. Eventually he gave up on it and just put as much as we could gather into one of the vases that didn't get smashed earlier in the day until a suitable urn could be purchased.

"Rosalie." Carlisle spoke once we had filled the vase. "Go into town and get something worthy of Edward and Esme. This won't do."

"Of course. I'll be right back." She said softly, looking afraid to contradict him with the mood he was in. She left in a hurry, taking Carlisle's car since hers still had Edward's piano strapped on top of it.

I sat with Carlisle in the shattered living room in silence while we waited, neither of us moving. I was scared to even speak and when I tried to approach him he snarled at me so I backed off and waited. I let my visions overtake me in the silence.

Something was still blocking me partially. I could see they were heading back to New York City, that they would be staying in Langham Place. I couldn't tell for how long, only that they were going to get the Empire Apartment Suite. I wasn't even sure if Emmett would be staying with them yet. I tried to focus on their journey but something was making it foggy.

I ranged farther out and I could see that Peter, Charlotte, and Emmett would be driving together somewhere, but I couldn't see where yet. Jasper and Bella weren't with them. There were a lot of breaks in my visions, details I was missing. I concentrated further and tried to force a vision, but it was no good. Too much was undecided yet, and there was some kind of interference.

I gave up for now, not making any progress. What they did was not my concern for the moment. I needed to focus on what was left of the Cullen family. I needed to make sure we were safe. I wouldn't put it past Jasper to do something if he thought we were a threat, he could be ruthless. We had just as many unmade decisions, but it was easier to see.

Rose would be back soon and Carlisle would want some time alone with the remains. Rosalie would forgive me, which made me sigh in relief. I hated that we were fighting. I wanted to be able to comfort her, she had lost Emmett today and I feared he wouldn't be back. She would need me to help her get through it.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by Rosalie returning. I had been locked in my visions for longer than I had thought. She walked in timidly, a rare sight to see from the confident blonde, handing the urn to our father.

"I thought this one really reflected Edward best." Rose said.

"Thank you Rose, it's perfect." Carlisle said, taking the urn from her. It was elaborate and classically designed.

Rose took my hand as we watched the ashes get transferred into their permanent resting place. I gave her a tentative smile as she squeezed my hand and I could see my vision playing out before my eyes. Rose was already starting to forgive me. We would talk while Carlisle was alone.

"I need some time by myself." He said, pain in his voice. "I'll be in my study. Please, don't disturb me."

Carlisle took the urn with him and left to mourn in private. Rosalie and I sat down together on the ruined furniture, still holding hands.

"I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings. I do love you Rose." I started.

"I know Alice. I'm sorry I got jealous." She said. "I can't lose you too, I've lost so much today. I can't be alone." Rose looked into my eyes with such fear and sadness that I wanted to cry.

"Never!" I promised. "I won't let anything else happen to us. No matter what."

We hugged and waited for hours until Carlisle was ready to rejoin us. When he came back downstairs, he was full of purpose.

"We need to make them pay for what happened today." He said in a hard tone. "I took Jasper in and called him son, and this is how he repays me for it? It will not stand. It's time I called my friend Aro. Our part in any lawbreaking was cleared with Edward's death. I know Aro would not have demanded any of our lives for our indiscretion however, so Jasper was out of line no matter how you look at it. His coven stealing away Emmett is just another crime at their feet."

I checked on Emmett's future and saw he decided to stay with the Whitlocks at their hotel. Linking together the earlier vision of him with Peter and Charlotte I was able to force a vague vision of him joining their coven officially, but that was less certain.

"Carlisle, Emmett is staying with the Whitlocks at their hotel in New York now. I had a vision, but it isn't a certain one, that Jasper will ask him to join his coven. I can't be sure yet." I frowned.

"Thank you Alice." He nodded grimly. "Please, keep watch and let me know if you see anything else."

"I will father." I told him eagerly. He smiled at me, pleased with my endearment.

"We need to call all our friends and tell them how our family was destroyed. Jasper is a dangerous man, I don't want anyone else hurt thinking he is still one of us. Who knows what kind of damage he could do to our friends if they let him get close, thinking he is still my son." Carlisle paced the floor as he talked, his arms gesturing wildly.

I checked the future quickly, not seeing anything immediately harmful in Carlisle's plan. We needed a strategy, but Jasper had always been the strategist among us. I was never good at this sort of thing, so we needed someone on our side who was better than the three of us.

"Call Eleazer first." I suggested. "He might have some good advice, he learned a lot from his time with the Volturi."

"Yes, he is a wise man." Carlisle nodded, taking out his phone.

I hoped Eleazer was as good as Jasper, but I doubted it. One thing about Jasper was he never lost a battle. If it came down to it, we'd lose. I had a feeling our only hope was to blindside him, get him before he realized we were coming for him. I bit my fingernails, fearing that it was already too late for that.

"Carlisle old friend! So good to hear from you!" Eleazer answered.

"Eleazer, I only wish I was calling you with happy news. We have had some tragedy here and I could use your advice."

"Oh, did you speak with Jasper?" He said, his voice consoling.

"Speak with him!" Carlisle roared. "He did more than that. Edward and Esme are dead."

"What?" Eleazer whispered. "Oh no. Carlisle I'm so sorry to hear that. How? Please, tell me what happened."

I could hear Carmen's harsh sob in the background as she heard the news through the phone.

"You knew he was coming here and you didn't warn me?" Carlisle accused.

"Jasper did this? I saw him in Forks, I came to your home there to help young Bella with her gift. Jasper told me he was leaving your family to rejoin his previous coven. He asked me to let him tell you the news in person, so I kept it to myself until he was able to do so. I just can't believe he would have done something to hurt Esme."

I noted he didn't say anything about Edward and hissed, but no one paid attention to me.

"Bella. Figures she was involved." Carlisle huffed. "Well, Jasper brought Bella and his coven to my home and told me he was leaving. It seems the human girl has moved on from Edward to Jasper. The girl has a real taste for my family it seems."

"I only met her for a short time, but she seemed like a lovely young lady." Eleazer said hesitantly.

"_Seemed_ is the right word. The girl is nothing but trouble." Carlisle growled. "Jasper attacked my son, then caused my wife to have a mental breakdown. She lost her mind and became suicidal, stuck in her last human memories. Esme became violent and in her madness attacked Edward. Jasper and his coven then attacked my family, holding us back while Esme ripped Edward apart and flung them both into a fire that the human girl started."

Carlisle was yelling by the end of it. He was tearing at his hair with one hand, the other gripping the phone so tight the plastic cracked a bit. His breath came in pants as he paced, Eleazer too stunned to speak on the other end of the line.

"Carlisle, that is just so unbelievable. Why would Esme attack Edward? Why would the Whitlocks keep you from interfering? Why did Bella light a fire? I just don't understand."

"Eleazer, how could you question me? I just lost my son and my wife. Jasper was like a son to me and he betrayed us all. To make matters worse, he took Emmett with him when he left. It's just Alice, Rosalie, and myself now."

"He kidnapped him?" Eleazer gasped. "You must call the Volturi immediately! Stealing coven members against their will is a punishable offence."

"Not exactly." Carlisle frowned. "Emmett gave me back my crest and left with them willingly."

"Oh, well in that case there isn't much to be done about it. You can still bring it to the attention of the kings if you think Jasper used his gift on him." Eleazer said, sounding a bit skeptical.

"That isn't the point. They held us down and kept us from stopping the fight. I could have saved Edward." Carlisle moaned.

There was a long pause and I could hear Carmen and Eleazer talking quickly on the other end, but he had put his hand over the phone to muffle the sound enough to keep the words from being intelligible.

"I'm sorry to hear about your misfortunes Carlisle and my deepest regrets at your losses. Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked when he came back on the line.

"I need your advice. The Whitlock coven has destroyed my family and I don't know what to do about it. I need to do something, I can't let them get away with this!"

"You said Jasper attacked Edward before he died. Tell me more about what happened with that." Eleazer said calmly, all business.

"Jasper punched him in the face, hard enough to crack his jaw. The Whitlocks claimed Bella Swan's father requested him to do it because of how we left Forks." Carlisle admitted a bit sullenly.

"Is that all? Just one punch? No dismemberment, no biting?" Eleazer asked surprised.

"Yes."

"And Bella lit the a fire in the house?"

"No, the fire was in the yard behind the house. Bella gave Esme a lighter and she lit it." Carlisle admitted, his face souring.

"So it was Esme that lit the fire then, not Bella? And Jasper only punched Edward?"

"Yes, but that isn't the point."

"I'm seeing the point quite clearly. You wanted my advice Carlisle, and here it is. Whether the Whitlock coven was right or wrong for restraining you while your wife and son fought or not, it would be extremely foolish for you to pursue this further. Jasper and his coven are not to be trifled with and it would be in your best interests to let the matter drop. Do you want me to talk to him, make sure there will be no further aggression against you?"

"No! That will not do! I cannot let their deaths go unpunished. I won't rest until they pay for what they did. Edward was such a perfect innocent boy, he didn't deserve what happened to him. And Esme was just confused, she didn't know what she was doing. They poisoned Emmett's mind with lies and took half my family from me in one swoop."

"Carlisle, please! For the sake of Alice and Rosalie if not for yourself, let it go." Eleazer tried again.

"I can see it was a mistake to call you. I thought you would support me, but I was wrong."

"You are my friend. I don't want to see you get hurt. You asked my advice and I gave it."

"Thank you." Carlisle said coldly. "I'll call you if I need anything else. Give my best wishes to Carmen and the girls."

He hung up, almost crushing his phone in the process. I could see the tension in his body and the hurt underneath. Carlisle considered the Denalis to be our closest friends and the less than supportive attitude had struck him hard. I checked the future and found that Eleazer was right. If we did nothing to retaliate the Whitlocks would indeed leave us alone.

"He's right about the Whitlocks leaving us alone if we leave them alone." I said aloud. "However, there is another issue."

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"The Volturi." I said trembling. "They are going to call them soon and our family will be implicated in breaking the law in regards to Bella. Whether we leave them alone or not, the Whitlocks will be required to come to Volterra." Leaving them alone isn't an option, not that Carlisle would have done it anyway.

"I need to call Aro before they do." Carlisle said. "And I need to do a better job explaining things than I did with Eleazer. Maybe it would be better just to go to Italy and have him read me, let him see it all so he will know it first hand."

"That might be best." I said, scanning the future. I got glimpses of our family sitting at the head of the royal chambers alongside the cloaked figures of the royalty and guard, powerful and untouchable. Too much was to be decided _yet_ but there was potential there. Aro would appreciate my gift and Rosalie's beauty. Carlisle's mind always intrigued the king, he was sad to see him go when he left for the new world.

"Yes." I said firmly. "We should go to Italy. I see us there, with the Volturi. I can't tell much yet, but I know we will be well received by Aro. He misses you." I grinned.

"I miss him as well." Carlisle almost smiled at some memory as it floated through his head, but his grief squashed it. "Begin packing girls. I will call the king. I'll arrange for our jet to be ready to go as soon as possible. Anything we aren't taking we put in storage. I never want to come back to this house again."

Carlisle left the room and retreated to his study to call Aro in private and Rose and I rushed to pack. I had a feeling we would need to hurry and I had a lot to do. I saw that we could ship things that wouldn't fit on the plane so I let Rose know. I ended up throwing out a lot of my clothes anyhow since we'd be so close to so many fashionable shopping districts I was sure to restock once we arrived in Europe.

It took a couple days to get everything packed up. Carlisle gave us the shipping address. We'd be staying in the Volturi castle, so the guard would be receiving our packages. Instead of moving away, we were going to fake our deaths this time. We were leaving enough behind in the house that it wouldn't look suspicious to the humans.

The lack of bodies would be explained by the extreme heat generated when the broken gas line in the kitchen finally exploded, causing a fireball that would melt everything down and burn so hot that it would cremate any human remains in the home. I checked the future and told him we didn't need to plant human corpses in the house since the fire would be too intense for the humans to identify remains in the debris anyhow.

"Wait. We have to get the mail first." I said, a sudden vision coming to me. "I'm so sorry Rose." I sobbed out, knowing what we would find there.

She looked at me in horror before rushing to get the mail, returning to the porch where we were waiting as the house was filling with gas from the broken pipe. It would be a little while before enough built up inside the structure to make the explosion big enough.

"There's something from Jasper's lawyer." Rose said coldly. "It's addressed to me. Emmett is really going through with a divorce."

"Worse." I said, putting my hand on her arm.

She ripped open the envelope and scanned the documents quickly before throwing them down on the ground and screaming. Carlisle ran around the house, finished with making the back yard look normal, and picked up the papers.

"This is Jasper's work." He said stiffly. "Exactly what he did to Alice. Emmett is no longer a Cullen or a McCarty. Do you know the name he's going by now Alice?"

"Whitlock." I said after a brief look into my visions. "He's joined them officially now and he's in Montana with Peter and Charlotte." I let myself get absorbed in the vision, speaking as I saw things. "Emmett still has golden eyes, they're waiting for something. Bella and Jasper. They're just arriving from Forks. Jasper has red eyes now."

I heard a gasp from Carlisle and I focused on the present again. He was disappointed, as much as he hated what had happened I could tell he still held out hope that his former son could be redeemed.

"There is no hope left. Tell me more."

"They are showing Bella around the house and then Jasper is going to change her." I hissed. "She's going to seduce him first I think, they were getting undressed in the bathroom. I can't watch!" I stopped the vision and started to sob, covering my eyes as if I could stop the sight.

Rose and Carlisle both held me as I cried, my sadness eventually turning to anger. I had loved her like a sister and she was taking my man from me now. Carlisle was right, we had to make them all pay. They stole Emmett from Rose, we could get him back if she still wanted him, but the rest would burn!

"Let's go to Italy. They will pay for what they have done." I said, pulling myself together. I met my families eyes and saw the need for vengeance echoed back just as strong.

When our plane landed in Italy we were met by Felix and Heidi at the airport in a limousine. Some of the lesser guards came along with a large van to bring our baggage, but we weren't introduced to them.

"Carlisle." Felix said when we arrived. "If you and your coven would come with me, Heidi and I will escort you to the kings. They requested a private audience with you due to the situation."

"Thank you." My father said with a bow of his head, taking both my hand and Rose's as we walked slightly behind him through the elaborate halls.

I wished we had a chance to change into something more fitting for meeting royalty before our meeting. This place was more of a palace than a castle, at least this part of it was. Where we came in was rough stone and very dreary but the upper floors were elegant.

I supposed what we had on would have to do. I was glad I had insisted we dress up a bit before we left the house, just incase. I had a vision that Marcus was debating joining the party to greet us at the airport and didn't want to look frumpy if he did change his mind at the last minute. If I knew it was to be a meeting with all three kings I'd have insisted on some time to at least do something with my hair.

Felix opened the large doors and we were ushered into the throne room that I had seen in my vision. The three kings were seated on their thrones. Behind Aro was a small woman in a dark gray cloak. To the left and right of the kings stood two small figures in black cloaks.

"The Cullen coven, masters." Felix announced, bowing and leaving the room, closing the doors behind us. Carlisle led us the rest of the way forward, stopping before the thrones and bowing low. Rose and I copied him, remaining bent until Aro motioned us to rise.

"Carlisle my old friend. Come now, that isn't necessary! Please, introduce me to your lovely children." He said excitedly.

"Of course Aro." Carlisle smiled. "This beautiful woman is my daughter Rosalie." He said, raising his hand and presenting her to the kings. She smiled, making her look even more alluring. "And this delightful young lady is my daughter Alice." Carlisle said, kissing my cheek warmly.

"She isn't yours by venom." Caius noted. "I can tell by the scent on her. The other is yours."

"Yes, that is right, but she is my daughter just the same." Carlisle defended me.

"They share a family bond." Marcus said quietly.

"So nice to meet you finally children!" Aro clapped. "I am Aro, of course. These are my brothers Marcus and Caius." He indicated. "The shy flower behind me is my lovely Renata. She insisted on staying with me even thought I assured her I wouldn't need her to shield me from you. I'm afraid she takes my protection very seriously." He chuckled.

"Not all of us are so lax about security." Caius snapped. "The two guards are here on my orders. Jane and Alec, you may have heard of them. If you require a demonstration to remind you to keep your manners while you are here Jane enjoys showing our _guests_ how her power works."

"Really now, that won't be necessary brother!" Aro said sounding shocked. "Carlisle has always been a gentleman."

"One that has recently lost a son and a mate. That can drive even the most _docile_ among us to extremes." Caius countered, watching us all with suspicion.

"The mate bond was very weak. It is bond with the son that was stronger." Marcus whispered, turning his head with some interest as he studied Carlisle.

"I'm glad you came to me when you needed help Carlisle." Aro said. "I told you it was a mistake to leave before and that you would come back. It saddens me that I had to be right under these circumstances."

"Let's not forget the issues." Caius interrupted.

"I forget nothing." Aro spat. "There is a small matter to deal with. A human girl was told of our existence by your son before his death? Would you mind showing me what happened?" Aro held his hand out to Carlisle.

I watched my father step forward eagerly, clasping hands firmly with the old vampire.

"I came here hoping you would do me the honor of reading me my friend. I have more to tell you than words can express." He said, smiling.

As soon as their hands touched, I got a vision. Aro would want to read Rose and I as well. Once he saw my gift in action, he would see how useful I would be to him and insist I stayed here as part of his guard. If I played things right, soon my family would be second only to the kings in power and we could make the Whitlocks pay.

I may not become a queen, but Rose and I would be princesses and Carlisle a prince. That is, is Aro could get his brothers to agree. Rose fit the part beautifully and so did I. Carlisle was already nearly a brother to Aro. The vision of us sitting by the thrones solidified a bit more and I nearly bounced on my feet in happiness.

"Is she having a vision now?" Aro asked, having just finished reading Rosalie.

"Yes. I just had one!" I trilled excited.

"Ah, it is a wonder to see it firsthand instead of through someone else's eyes. May I dear one?" Aro asked me, holding out his hand as if he was asking me to dance. I smirked and danced over to him, causing him to chuckle. "Such spirit!"

He took my hand lightly, kissing my knuckles with a wink as he delved into my memories. It triggered me to have another vision and for a moment I feared we'd be stuck in a loop, my visions constantly adding more for him to read for eternity, but I pushed the thought aside as the vision played out. I saw him reading me, but when he stopped he pulled back with a sad expression.

He told everyone that while I remembered nothing of my human life, the memories were still there, locked away. He didn't often speak of human memories and very few vampires knew that he could see them, that we were to speak of it to no one.

He told me that having visions was a trait that had run in my family for generations, but no one had the gift of sight as strong as I had when I was a girl. I scared my family with my precognition and the people in town shunned me, thinking me unnatural. I had no friends and my own sister wouldn't even play with me.

I was so desperate for approval that when the other girls my age invited me to a party when I was fourteen, I was ecstatic and didn't question their motives. I ignored my own visions that said it would be a disaster needing to believe it would be everything I wished it would be. When I got there, they all ignored me and mocked me from afar. None of the boys would dance with me and I left, heartbroken, to sit outside.

Becoming angry I walked all the way home, my beautiful dress becoming ruined in the rain. The next night I snuck out of the house and back to the home where the party was held. The girl that lived there was the ringleader, the most popular and wealthy girl in town. I watched her family go to bed through the windows and when all the servants had retired for the night I lit the house on fire, blocking all the exits first.

Running back home I laughed, glad that she would never hurt me again. When I got back into the house my sister woke when I tried to sneak back in and told my mother on me. My parents questioned me, asking where I had been. At first, they thought I had been out meeting with a boy, but soon they dismissed that because I wasn't dressed for a midnight rendezvous.

It was the scent of smoke on my clothes that really alarmed them. I refused to admit what I had done at first, but within hours there was no hiding it. The entire town had been woken that night to try and stop the blaze. I had done a better job than I had intended, the entire home had gone up, the occupants trapped inside. Three servants, the girl and her parents, all died.

My parents turned me in, horrified. When the police asked me if I lit the fire, I admitted it and why I did it. Because of my gender and age, along with my well known mental quirks I was sent to a mental institution for life instead of prison.

When Aro finished telling the story of how I ended up in the asylum I was in shock. I had murdered six people! I was a monster even before I became a vampire. I was never more glad that I couldn't remember my past than I was in this moment. Just hearing about it was painful. I dropped to the floor in shock, Carlisle rushing over to me and holding me.

"Alice, God will still forgive you if you seek penance. We are blessed with forever to atone for our sins." He whispered in my ear. "I will always be there to help you my daughter, no matter what."

Rose knelt down beside me, stroking my back.

"I murdered people too, my sister. Listen to Carlisle, he is right. No matter the reasons, the deaths on our souls can be cleaned if we work hard enough."

"Thank you." I whispered back, holding my family.

"Very touching." Caius interrupted. "I agreed to hold a private trial on the matter of Bella Swan, but my patience has limits."

"We must get on with it. I grow bored." Marcus said tiredly.

"Fine, fine." Aro agreed. "On the matter of Bella Swan, Edward was at fault and he is no longer alive to punish. I don't see any need to discuss it further." He rushed out.

"Carlisle was the coven leader. He is equally at fault." Caius disagreed.

"Then we bring the girl here and take care of the problem. Jasper Whitlock as well for interfering in our justice." Aro stated.

"That won't be possible." Caius contradicted. "The Major collected the girl after the Cullens abandoned her and has her in his custody. He will be changing her and bringing her here for confirmation in one year when she has adjusted to life as one of us. I won't tolerate a newborn in Volterra."

"A year!" Aro exclaimed hotly. "That is unacceptable!"

"Would you risk a young vampire losing control in the streets of our city? We haven't had a citizen of our protectorate harmed in over three centuries. A year is prudent. We can hold an official trial when all the parties are present."

I could see Aro mulling over the facts, a gleam in his eye as he looked at the three of us.

"Perhaps you are right brother. The Cullens simply _must_ stay here in the castle until we can resolve this matter. I look forward to catching up with my friend Carlisle and getting to know his children."

Aro grinned at us and I got a quick vision of us trying to leave and being restrained by the guard. We had a choice, either be Aro's guests or be prisoners. I considered the change in decor from rough stone to polished marble and my decision was clear. I'd rather never see if this castle had a dungeon when I had the opportunity to be near royalty myself.

I had to act fast, Carlisle was about to protest. He was already catching on to the idea that we would be less guests than prisoners here. I had to stop him! I tugged on his hand, getting his attention and smiled reassuringly.

"Might we go freshen up? After all, we'll have plenty of time to talk about business and the trip here was long." I asked, trying to look cute as I spoke. I could tell I had won over Aro and Marcus was happy with anything that got him away from having to be around people. That was enough and I smirked knowing I'd already won. Caius scowled at me, taking my expression as an insult. I didn't let it bother me since I didn't see anything I did being able to please that hateful man.

"Of course! Of course!" Aro waved Jane forward. "Jane, show the Cullens to their rooms."

"Yes, master." The girl bowed. She was just as tall as me which made me hopeful that we had even more in common. If only she'd smile. So far Jane had looked so serious. I eyed her critically as we walked behind her. I knew getting her to wear something other than the Volturi robes was out of the question, but maybe she'd let me style her hair.

I smiled as we were led away, trying out possibilities in my mind, looking for a way to become her friend without getting zapped.


End file.
